A Girl Called Leanna
by strawberrymagic01
Summary: "My name's Leannabeth, but call me Leanna." With a troublesome family life and her only friends being Liam Frank and Tee,  Leanna learns that promises cant be kept and secrets are uncovered.  Her name's Leanna, and she's used to being alone. R & R
1. Just a Normal Day

**A/N: So i looooveee** **Tracy Beaker Returns, and thought why not do a fanfiction on it? So here we go, hope you like it and review please, and tell me how I can improve! **

~Chapter 1-Just Another Day~

"TRACYYYY!"  
>Gus stood outside the bathroom door in his bathrobe, his arms firmly crossed, as Tracy Beaker came running around the corner and skidded to a halt in front of him.<br>"Yes, Gus?" She sighed, leaning on the wall to get her breath back.  
>"Sapphire has been in the bathroom for exactly 8 minutes and 34 seconds. It is after supper, and I always have my bath after supper. I need to have my bath!" Gus stressed, and Tracy rolled her eyes. Gus would be terribly upset if his schedule got too messed up and she did not want that happening. So she turned to the door and banged on it, ignoring Sapphire's annoyed cries.<br>"Sapph get out of the bathroom, you've been in there too long!" there was no reply. "Sapphire!" Tracy yelled, leaning against the door just as Sapphire opened it and stalked out, half a face mask plastered on her face. Gus jumped up and rushed in, locking the door as he went.  
>"Sit outside Tracy!" He didn't forget to remind her.<br>"Alright, alright," Tracy sat down by the door, silently thanking Gus for the opportunity to relax for a while. It was one of those days in the dumping ground, the kids had running wild, at that moment she could hear Gina's mutters of frustration as she tried to coax Harry out from under the bushes in the garden - it was his bed time and he had been playing 'jungles' with Jeff, and wasn't so eager to stop. Thankfully things had calmed down now.

In another room Tee was helping Carmen decorate a picture of the three girls; Tee, Lily and Carmen. It would be for Lily's birthday, though her birthday was actually not close at all. Toby was reading his comic books, his eyes glued to the pages while Johnny pestered him about where he had left the TV remote. Liam and Frank were in Franks room, discussing a new buisness plan on how they could sell Liam's 'Liamade' which they still hadn't stopped from exploding once it had been made. All in all it was a normal day at Elm Tree House.

"There's a market down town tomorrow. How 'bout then?" Liam's eyes lit up as he remembered seeing the flyer on a lamppost, the words; 'Market on Saturday' in bright colours. It would be perfect, they could easily set up a stall and get some money. After all, along with their sob story and Frank's condition they were sure to bring in the bucks.  
>"Yeah, but we gotta make sure Tracy will let us out..." Frank replied, and the two boys cringed, remembering last week when an angry man had dragged them through the streets and back to the Dumping Ground because they had woken him up- they had been trying to sell the disgusting pizza Tracy had given them. It had gotten them in loads of trouble and resulted in them having to go around and give all the money back and apologise to every person they had scammed- shameful. They had also ended up with devil glares from Tracy the whole two days, as it was her first night there.<br>"Right. Better start buttering her up then mate!"

Tee carefully cut around a heart outline on the pink card she was holding. Next to her Carmen was sprinkling glitter onto the frame- pink glitter of course. They had been working in silence for a while, neither really having anything to say. Carmen still was missing Lily a lot, and Tee was doing her best, along with the other Dumping Ground kids to include her and make her feel better. But Tee still couldn't help feeling a little sad, Carmen and Lily were best friends, there was no room for her, and she knew that. But still, she had Johnny, right? It wasn't the same though. He was her brother, not her best friend. And until someone came along or room was made for her in Lily and Carmen's friendship, she would have to make do with just being friends with everyone. But at least she could enjoy having someone to be with instead of helping Johnny with the chores while watching Lily and Carmen have fun, or waiting until they invited her to join them.  
>"Are you sure she'll like this?" Carmen interrupted Tee's thoughts, her nose scrunched up as she looked at the photo. Tee nodded enthusiastically. "No i mean like... wouldn't it be better if it was just me and her, 'cos we're like best friends?"<br>A brief look of hurt passed over Tee's face for a moment, but she shook it off and gave a fake smile. "maybe," she said quickly, before feeling a surge of relief when she heard her brother calling her name. "I better go see what he wants," She said hastily and hurried out of the room, leaving a bewildered Carmen.

* * *

><p>"Frank. Frank! FRANK!"<br>The 13 year-old boy stretched, yawning. He opened his eyes slowly and peered up at Liam, who was standing at the foot of the bed, about to throw a manchester united pillow at him. "C'mon, we've gotta get to the market so we can get selling!" Liam told him, before leaving the room. Frank rubbed his eyes and looked at the clock on the bedside table next to him. 9 O'clock. _Damn it..._ he thought to himself. He'd been hoping to get a lie in, it was the weekend after all. Reluctantly, Frank got up and stumbled over to the cupboard to get changed. "The things I do for Liam." He grumbled to himself.

* * *

><p>The boys trudged through the market, their eyes peeled for a space to put their Liamade. The cobble stone road was filled with little stalls selling things from pretty little trinkets, to fruit and vegetables, to bags and clothes. There was hardly any space at all! Liam frowned, noticing the only area available was pretty small, but it would have to do. He jogged over, Frank following.<p>

As they set out their bottles, Frank noticed that market stall owners around them were giving the boys strange looks. He was about to point it out to Liam, but he was interupted. "Oh yeah, I forgot to tell ya, I found out you need a license to 'ave a market stall... oh and we're s'posed to pay rent. So be ready to leg it if we have to Frankie-boy!" Liam hissed, a mischievous glint in his brown eyes. Frank face-palmed, his best friend was so unorganised.

"Why don't you just forge one? That's what I did." The boys looked up from their Liamade to see where the voice came from. A girl, with curly black hair was sitting sideways on her chair, an amused look on her tanned face. She was sitting at a table full of drawings, some of people and some of scenery and still life. Her hands were covered with black marks from the lead, and she held a half done sketch of the market.

"Eh, no point." Frank sighed. The girl shrugged and raised her eyebrows.

"I'm Leannabeth...but call me Leanna. I hate my full name." She said.

"Frank." Frank told her, smiling.

"The name's Liam." Liam said, giving a friendly nod. "Care for a cup of Liamade? It's only £3 a cup." 


	2. Liamade & Ice Cream

1 hour later and a bottle of Liamade finished, the boys sat back and counted their money so far. "We've got about 20 quid here!" Liam said, impressed. Frank grinned, and poured out more cups. Luckily nobody had suspected anything, and they hadn't found themselves being chased by angry police officers either. "Not bad," Leanna commented, shaking her jar of money. "I ain't doing too well today... you guys are stealing all my customers!" Liam and Frank chuckled, and poured her a glass of Liamade. "Here, its on the house." Liam told her, while handing her the plastic cup. Leanna stared at the bubbly pink liquid for a moment, her eyebrows furrowing as she looked at the drink. "...Is it supposed to be pink?" She asked. "At the moment, yes." Frank replied, and downed his cup of Liamade in one gulp. Leanna shrugged and chugged it aswell.

"Ugh this is mank!" She spat, her face screwing up in disgust.. Liam and Frank watched, grinning.

"As i've said before, it takes a little getting used to." Liam laughed. Leanna giggled, wiping her mouth.

"I can't believe you've sold that many cups of it when it tastes so bad!" "You _must_ 'ave heard our sob story, along with our amaaazing buisness skills." Liam said.

Leanna nodded, remembering earlier, when a woman of about 50 came up to the boys.

_"__Would you like to buy a drink? its only £3 a cup, and for a good cause!" Liam asked._

_The woman wrinkled her nose as she stared down at the bottle. "It looks dangerous." She commented. The boys exchanged a glance before Frank sat up and smiled at her._

_"Its all safe, don't worry." He said, and her face instantly softened, realising he had a condition, but she still eyed the drink warily. "We made it ourselves!"_

_"Along with supervision, of course." Liam added. The woman nodded. _

_"And... do your parents know you're here?" She asked. Perfect, that was exactly the question the boys wanted her to ask. Liam's expression became downcast. _

_"Well...you see, we don't have parents. We live at the local orphanage." He sighed and slumped a little, just to add more effect. The woman's eyes widened and she fumbled in her Gucci bag for her purse. "We're just trying to earn some money to help out." _

_"Very well then, boys. I'll take two, one for my son." She then handed them £6 and smiled at Frank, before walking away, her nose in the air. _

"So do you actually live in the care home?" Leanna asked. Liam and Frank nodded, but they didnt look sad or sorry for themselves. Leanna had seen the carehome before. She often walked past it and looked up at the massive house. There was always the sound of laughter floating out of the front door or from the back garden. She wondered what it was like to live there- cant be that good, right? There would probably be loads of rules. Leanna turned back to her drawing, she was almost done. It was of the market, and in one corner she had drawn Frank and Liam, one bending down and pouring a cup of Liamade, while the other counted the money. As she sketched the stall selling fruit, she overheard the boys talking in hushed tones.

"I'm surprised it went this long without exploding..." Liam whispered.

"Yeah I know. Maybe we've found the right ingredients." Frank said, standing up to stretch his legs. Leanna put her drawing down and turned around again.

"exploding?" She asked, her eyes widening.

Liam cringed, and laughed nervously. "Well sometimes...-" They were interrupted by the rumbling of a bottle. All eyes turned to the bottle, Leanna watching with confusion, while the boys started backing away. "Speak of the devil..." Liam muttered.

_WHOOSH! WHOOSH! WHOOSH! WHOOSH!_

One after the other the liquid shot out of the bottles into the air, and Leanna jumped out of her seat, watching in surprise as all four of the bottles exploded all over the area.

"OI!" Liam's head snapped round to the voice coming from the distance.

"Err guys... I think we better run!" He hissed. Jogging down the road was a policeman, on his usual walk around the town. The three turned on their heel and ran in the opposite direction, Liam jumping back into the fountains of Liamade to save his jar of money and then running after Leanna and Frank.

The three collapsed onto the grass, breathless from running and laughing at the same time. They had made it to the park, luckily outrunning the policeman. Leanna giggled, rolling away as Liam pulled some grass from the ground and threw it at her and Frank. "You guys, have, got to be, the coolest people, I've ever met!" She told them, still out of breath. Frank and Liam grinned. Leanna smiled to herself, as the three lay there, just talking about life. She had only met these people a few hours ago, but she hoped this friendship would last- unlike the others. They were different, they didnt judge her, and they were honest. Was that what being in a care home did to you? maybe it was a good thing. But even though it hadn't been long, she wouldn't let ANYBODY ruin this friendship. No way.

"Oooh the ice cream van is here!" Frank yelled, jumping up when the familiar jingle came closer. The three ran over to the colourful van, and the ice cream man came around the back.

"Y'know what? You guys chose whatever you want, we've got tons of cash here." Liam smiled, shaking the money pot. Frank grinned, it had been a while since Liam had been happy when one of his plans had failed. Well this one hadn't exactly failed- it just didn't work out. But still, he was in a very good mood and that was all that mattered.

Leanna chose bubble gum ice cream, and stood eating it as the other two chose theirs. She looked around at the old park, it was looking a bit dull now. She remembered when she was little, about 4 or so. her Dad would take her down here and she would play on the bright red swings, and climb the wooden climbing frames and her Dad would help her do the monkey bars. The play equipment was still there, but it didn't look as big and exciting as it did when she was small. Wow, she thought. She hadnt been to this park in _years. _

"So, tomorrow, should we all meet up again?" Frank asked, once he had finished eating his sundae. Liam and Leanna nodded. "Definitely. Here, at like 12?" Leanna confirmed, and smiled when Frank and Liam nodded again. "Right, I've gotta' go now. S'ya tomorrow!"

Liam and Frank waved, watching as the girl in cream coloured high wasted shorts and a white floaty top quickly walked in the direction of the gate. "I think we should be heading off too," Liam told Frank, and stood up, stretching. They both followed in the same direction as Leanna, discussing how they were going to hide the jar of money.

And the whole time, none of them noticed the dark figure of a man standing in a bunch of trees, watching them.


	3. The Dumping Ground

**A/N: I wont be updating as quickly because school is starting tomorrow. Thanks to all the reviews, Thanks Jesspikapal, I'll try to remember that! :D and Justmee, Elektra isn't in this one yet as its in the first series at the moment, but she will be.**

~Chapter 3-The Dumping Ground~

"Tracy, what _are_ you cooking?" Gina questioned, peering over Tracy's shoulder to look at the frying pan. Tracy smiled, pleased with herself, as she pulled out her earphones.  
>"Well i thought I'd make a Spanish omelet, Liam called me earlier and said that him and Frank were gonna' bring their friend back for lunch." Tracy replied. Gina frowned at the omelet. Knowing Tracy, the meal wasn't going to turn out very nice, she was terrible at cooking but she didn't know it!<br>"Riiight. Are... Are you sure you're supposed to put that much cheese in?" Gina asked, grimacing.  
>"Gina, showed me how to make this the other night. I think I know what I'm doing."<br>"Hmm." Gina mumbled, rolling her eyes as she left the room with a glass of water. Tracy pulled a face at Gina's back, and went back to humming along to the song that was playing as she watched the omelet cook.  
>"Tracy?" Sighing, Tracy pulled out her earphones again, and turned to the voice. Tee was standing by the door, a sheepish look on her face.<br>"Hi Tee, how can I help you?" She asked, smiling. Tee hurried over to the stool and sat down.  
>"Umm... you know Liam and Frank's friend," She began. Tracy nodded to encourage her to continue. "Well... what's her name?"<br>Tracy frowned, thinking back to the phone call. "Actually Tee, they didn't say her name, why?"  
>"Oh... I just... I thought maybe I could make friends with her." Tee sighed, resting her head in her hand. Tracy smiled sympathetically and went round to the other side of the table to put her arm around Tee.<br>"Listen Tee. Don't look so down! I'm sure you could make friends with her, the boys wouldn't mind sharing."  
>"But i just realised... she's their age, so she'll be 13. I'm only 10, she won't want to be friends with me."<br>"Hey, I'm sure if Frank and Liam both like her, she must be a nice girl. And you're lovely too! So there's no reason she won't want to be friends. Stop worrying!" Tracy told her, and gave the girl a hug.  
>BEEP BEEP BEEP!<br>"Tracy?" Tee mumbled.  
>"Yes Tee?" Tracy answered, releasing her from the hug.<br>"That's the fire alarm going off."  
><p>

* * *

><br>"Wow, now that i look at this place again, its well pretty!" Leanna gasped, looking up at the house, their footsteps crunching on the gravel.  
>"It ain't too bad outside, but wait 'til you get in..." Liam told her. Frank pressed the bell, and within a few seconds the sound of a lot of feet came running towards the door. "Just a warning, they'll either treat you like a celebrity, or question you about <em>everything<em>." Liam added.  
>"That doesn't sound too bad?"<br>"Hmm."  
>The door opened and a rather large woman with dark skin in colourful, clothes and necklaces draped around her neck beckoned them in.<br>"Hello, you must be Liam and Frank's friend!" A young woman with silky black hair and a blue jumper on smiled at them as they entered.  
>"Naah Tracy, we just brought a stranger back." Liam grinned, and Tracy whacked him lightly over the head.<br>"It's a wonder why you're friends with this pair!" She told Leanna, winking. Leanna laughed and looked around the house. There was a colourful glass screen separating the entrance to the main room, and inside there was a comfy looking sofa under the stairs. A girl of about 10, wearing a blue t-shirt with a teapot on it skipped over.  
>"Hi, I'm Tee, nice to meet you!" She grinned, extending a hand.<br>"I'm Leanna, nice to meet you too," She smiled, shaking her hand. Tracy ushered her into the living room, and about 3 other kids followed.  
>There were two sofas facing each other, and a Tv at one end. Behind the sofas was a huge pool table, and near it a computer. <em><em>Whoa<em>... they have so much stuff_! Leanna thought, her eyes floating over the boxes of building bricks and magazines and toys. On one of the sofas, a girl was lounging, reading the newest Mizz magazine. She looked up as they entered, no expression on her face.

"Who's this?" She asked.

"That's Sapphire." Frank whispered to Leanna. She nodded, and smiled to the older girl who just looked at her.

"Look. Whoever you are, don't go in my room." She said.

"Yeah, Sapph is the moody one outta' this lot." Liam joked, and went over to the pool table. Sapphire just rolled her eyes and walked out, glaring at a giggling Leanna. "C'mon, lets play some pool! Get ready to lose."

* * *

><p>"So tell me Tracy, why are we eating this rubbish when we were promised <em>your special omelet?"<em> Liam asked, in his best French accent.

The residents of Elm Tree House and Leanna were sitting at the table, picking at toast with jam on it. "First of all, it was a Spanish omelet not French you div, and secondly because i accidently burnt it and the fire alarm went off. And_ thirdly_, Gina hasn't been shopping in a while." Tracy told him, smirking. Tee giggled, remembering what had happened earlier.

"Well, I was planning to go today! And you, Tracy, used up the cheese!" Gina added, shooting a glare at Tracy. The kids laughed, they were used to this kind of thing happening. Leanna joined in, and she couldn't help feeling the warm fuzzy feeling in her stomach as she mucked around with the kids. They were like a _family._

"So, Leanna. How come we don't see you around school?" Johnny asked.

"Oh, I go to Hillside Secondary, its over the other side of town." Leanna answered. Her school was not very nice, people got mugged, the teachers didn't really bother and last year there was a shooting. But Leanna learned to cope, even though she bunked a lot. She wasn't good at hardly any subjects, so she didn't really bother.

"I love your hair! It's so silky!" Carmen sighed happily, grimacing at her own locks.

"So your name is Leannabeth Smith. You're thirteen years old, what's your birthday? You live in house number thirty, Parker Road, and you go to Hillside Comprehensive. And, you have the same accent as Liam so you don't come from this area." Gus told her, flipping through note book number six. Leanna looked bewildered for a moment before answering.

"Yes, yes, 4th of December, how did you find that out? And yeah, I'm an Essex girl, innit!" She exaggerated her accent in the last part, grinning.

"And you talk like a chav." Gus commented, not understanding. He scribbled away in his notebook, making notes.

"..." Leanna stared at Gus for a moment, not sure what to say. Then suddenly the whole room burst out laughing, and Gus looked confused.

"What?" He questioned, but got no answer.

* * *

><p>Harry bumbled around the kitchen, making Jeff walk on the counters and hop from stool to stool. they were on an adventure.<p>

_"We found love in a hopeless place, we found love in a hooopeless place,"_ Harry hesitated for a moment, unsure of whether to answer the phone. But when he twitched Jeff's head and took it as a nod, he ran over to the black shoulder bag and pulled out the silver Nokia phone. Nervously he pressed the answer button, and held the phone to his and Jeff's ear.

"Another round? I'll just kick both of your butts!" Liam boasted, shuffling the cards and handing them out again. They were in Liam's bedroom, the 'Pink Palace'. Leanna was amused at his room, and made a mental note to tease him about it whenever she could. It was like a typical boy's room, but cleaner than she expected. There were a few clothes left lying around and a book strewn across the floor- 'Who Cares, I'm Tracy Beaker'. Frank, Liam and Leanna had been playing cards for the past hour and Liam had won three games, Frank one and Leanna one game. The door creaked open, and Harry peered in, and when he saw they were all sat in there he opened it fully and walked in.

"Hey Harry, come to see me beat these two _again_?" Liam joked, and Frank pulled a face at him.

"No, a man on _her_ phone told me to tell _her_ this." Harry said, pointing at Leanna. Leanna nodded so he would continue. "He said, 'Get the fuck back'".

"Harry, you mustn't say that word." Frank told the 6 year old boy, shaking his head. Leanna jumped up, her cards scattering everywhere.

"What word?" he asked innocently.

"Thanks for inviting me over, see you guys later, tell the others i said bye," She said hurriedly. "And bye Harry."

"Jeff says bye."

Then she ran out of the room, grabbed her bag from the kitchen and left.

"Who do you think that was?" Liam asked, watching Leanna run out of the front door and down the front garden to the pavement from his window. Frank shrugged.

"Whoever it was, he didn't sound very happy with her..." He sighed.


	4. Lies & Thieves

~Chapter 4 - Lies & Thieves

"So kids, what are you all planning to do today?" Tracy asked, leaning over the counter and watching the kids munch on their breakfast.  
>"Sapphire's going to draw a jungle for Jeff." Harry told her, making Jeff eat the cereal. Sapphire nodded, and used a tissue to wipe Jeff's muzzle. She didn't want him to smell like milk, especially as Harry shoved him in her face so much.<br>"Yeah, got nothing better to do since Ferris is gone..." Sapphire muttered under her breath, so no one could hear. Only a couple of days ago Tracy had found out about the stolen goods that Sapphire had been keeping for her boyfriend Ferris, and when he got tricked into telling the police... he told them it was Sapphire. But soon he ended up telling the truth, but it was too late because Sapphire was already hurt, and there was no turning back for him when it came to their relationship.

"Me and Tee want to go into town today, we wanna' buy some stuff with our pocket money." Carmen said. "Can you take us Tracy? And can Lily come?" Tracy nodded, and Tee smiled half-heartedly.  
>Frank stood up, his chair scraping against the wooden floor. "I'm going fishing with Grandad." he told the others, a lopsided, excited grin on his face as he went to put his plate in the sink. He already had his fishing hat pulled snugly over his head.<br>tell him I said Hi, A'right?" Liam got up to leave, and followed Frank to the sink. "I'm goin' into town aswell, gonna' do some girly shopping with you lot!" He joked, grinning at Tracy and Carmen.  
>Tracy rolled her eyes. "Too bad we dont want you there!" She laughed. "So really, you going to hang out with Leanna? I'll drop you aswell then."<br>"Since she came over to Elm Tree House exactly two weeks ago, you and Frank have hung out with her eight times of the fourteen days." Gus stated, checking his notebook to be sure.  
>"Y'know shes not as bad as I thought." Sapphire said.<br>"Yeah, shes really cool." Frank grinned, and left the room with Liam.

* * *

><p>"Cheers Tracy!" Liam called as he hopped out of the car. Tee watched him go and wondered whether she should have gone with him. Perhaps he wouldnt mind her hanging out with him and Leanna? She knew Leanna liked her, so maybe she would be happy for her to hang with them? But it was too late anyway, Tracy had started the car and they were heading further into the town centre.<p>

"Oh my God I'm so excited to see Lily!" Carmen gushed, a wide grin plastered across her face. Tee was kind of excited too, she had to admit. But at the same time she was kind of nervous, she hoped she wouldn't be left out. _Calm down!_ She scolded herself mentally. Carmen had invited her first, right? So that meant she was wanted. As the car shuddered to a halt in the car park, Tee took a deep breath and smiled cheerfully. _Just have fun, Tee._

* * *

>Liam checked his phone, it was nearly half one and Leanna still hadn't shown yet, she was fifteen minutes late. <em>Shit, I'm starting to sound like Gus!<em> Liam thought, making a face. Damn, he wished Frank was here so he could talk to him. he would never admit it, but he was kind of jealous of Frank's Grandad, he meant everything to Frank and the boy would pick his Grandad over everyone, maybe even Liam. But then maybe that was how family made people feel. Not like Liam would know. But parents were stupid- who needed them?

Feeling annoyed and slightly thirsty, the brown haired boy jumped down from the wall and walked into the corner shop to buy a drink.

The bell jingled as he walked through the door, and an old woman with grey curly hair pulled into a tight bun sat at the counter. She smiled warmly at him as he entered. The drinks fridge was right at the back of the small shop, and he made his way down the small ile. There was a girl standing towards the shelves, but the white hoodie she was wearing covered her face. She didnt seem to see him coming, and as fast as lightning her hand shot out and grabbed a microwave meal and then shoved it in her bag, all in about 20 seconds. Liam frowned and bit his lip, not sure whether to say anything. He often did stuff he wasn't proud of, but he didnt steal. He wasn't a theif.

She turned, sensing someone was there. "Liam?" She gasped, her almond shaped eyes wide.

"Leanna," he said, as shocked as she was but he didn't show it. "I could buy you food if you wanted..."

"Wait... you think... you think I nicked that? Nah Liam, I dont nick stuff...promise." Leanna stammered, looking genuinely shocked. She was a good actor.

"S'alright Leanna, I believe you." Liam told her, lying through his teeth. He knew what he saw, but for now he was just going to drop it. "Anyway, I've been waiting ages! C'mon!"

The two walked out of the shop together, chatting. Then, Liam realised he hadn't bought that drink he wanted. _Damn it..._

"So, where's Frank?" Leanna asked, her pumps scraping against the wall everytime she swung her legs.

"Fishing with his Grandad, since its the summer holidays he's been seeing him a lot. Guess I would do the same if I had family... well family that loved me." Liam told her, looking over at her. Leanna smiled sympathetically. They were sitting on the wall, where Liam had been before he went into the shop.

"Yeah well I guess he's making the most of the time he's got left with him... I would if my Grandparents didn't live so bloody far away."

"Atleast you got your mum and your dad...thats good enough though, innit..." Liam asked, feeling slightly uncomfortable with the subject.

"Yeah, I guess so... parent are crappy."

"I agree with that, but you have parents, some of us dont... what are they like?" Leanna smiled weakly.

"Well... my dad, he... he quit his job to be at home with my mother, she's a bit ill. They're always busy, cleaning the house, having dinner parties, but they're good enough to spend time with me so I don't get bored, actually they're great..." She told him, her confidence growing as she continued, the niggling feeling in the pit of her stomach was getting bigger, though. Liam didn't say anything and just nodded, he was sure she just said that parents were crappy? They were silent for a while, but it wasn't awkward. Just comfortable silence. But it was broken suddenly by Liam who got his wallet out, pulled out a few notes and put the wallet on the wall next to him.

" 'Bout 15 quid here. How about we go Mc'donalds and get some food? Its on me, good thing I saved that cash from the market!" Liam grinned, pushing himself off the wall. Leanna nodded, jumping down too. Liam reached up to get his wallet, but before he could take it a hand appeared from the other side of the wall and grabbed it. "What the..." he gasped, hearing the footsteps as the person ran down the road. "Someone just fucking nicked my wallet!" He yelled. Leanna shifted on the spot uncomfortably. Her phone bleeped and she looked at it, then snapped it shut again.

"Look, I gotta go. Sorry about your wallet mate," She muttered, before rushing away.

Liam sighed, and ran a hand through his hair. First his phone had been nicked, and then when she had left he saw the contents of her bag as she moved it to the other shoulder; a microwave meal and a bottle of shampoo.

* * *

><p>The door opened, and Frank stumbled into Liam's room, carrying all his fishing equipment. "Hey Liam!" He said cheerfully, the happy grin still on his face. liam nodded in response. "How was your day with Leanna?" Frank abandoned the fishing equipment and sat on the end of the bed, facing Liam who was sitting against his cupboard, his phone in his hands.<p>

"Good, good... someone nicked my wallet though..." Liam trailed off, looking pissed off.

"Did you see who took it?" Frank asked, his smile fading.

"Dunno. Had £30 in it though, 10 quid of it was the money we got from the market." Liam sighed, and threw his phone onto the bed. "Anyway, no point being sad over something I can't change!" His sudden change in mood surprised Frank, and his smile returned.

"Lets go play some pool, eh?" He asked, and Frank nodded.

The first thing the pair noticed when they walked into the living room was Leanna, sitting on the sofa. Tee and Carmen were sitting beside her, showing her stuff from their endless bags of shopping. "Ooh and I got this new mascara, the bottle is pink!" Carmen giggled, unscrewing the mascara and trying it out. Leanna smiled and looked up, seeing the boys. she suddenly remembered why she was there.

"Oh hey guys, I came to give you this Liam-" Leanna walked over to them, and pulled something out of her bag.

It was Liam's wallet.

"I found it when I was walking home...I think you've still got everything luckily."Liam took it from her and muttered a thanks, looking at her strangely. She sensed the awkwardness and waved at Tee and Carmen. "See you guys later..." She said, and walked out, looking back at them. Suddenly the three's friendship was going downhill..

"Y'know... theres something strange going on with her Frankie-boy..." Liam said to Frank.

"Maybe you're just reading into things too much... she found your wallet, didnt she?" Sapphire commented, putting her magazine down and turning to face the boys who were at the pool table.

"Err, was I talking to you?" Liam sneered, but he was joking. "Earlier she said parents suck...and then after I asked what hers are like she told me they were great. And that man on the phone... and who takes nothing in a wallet and just leaves it if they've nicked it? And... I saw her nicking stuff from the corner shop, but she denied it and promised that she didnt steal. Now tell me that ain't odd." Sapphire frowned, and then shrugged.

"You're just jumping to conclusions, Liam. Give it some time."

"Yeah, Sapphire's right." Frank said.

"Hmm...whatever." Liam muttered, and picked up a pool stick.

**A/N: Hoped you like it, please review, it makes my day!**


	5. I Promise

~Chapter 5 - I Promise~

*Flashback*

He was home already, she was sure. The house stunk of beer and alcohol- it made her feel sick. But she had to live with it, where else could she go? Trudging up the stairs, she could hear him knocking stuff over downstairs, he obviously wasn't in a good mood. So what she was about to do, would anger him even more. Stupid Liam. She valued their friendship too much to let anyone ruin it. Frank and Liam, her two best friends. Her only friends.  
><em>"Its gonna be fine, Sweetie. You'll make friends, I promise. Just think of how proud Daddy will be."<em>  
>As quickly as she could, she grabbed some shorts and a t-shirt, and a clean pair of underwear and stuffed them in her bag. Her room was messy- messier than she had left it before. Ah. That was why. There was a can of beer by her bedside table, where everything had toppled over. She knew what he was looking for. With shaking hands, she pulled open the top draw and then fumbled with the code of her safe. It had dent marks in it now. It was safe. Thank God. The 10 cm tall box was still intact, and when she opened it the glass ballerina inside was still perfect. She stuffed the box in her bag too.<br>_"Don't worry hun, I'll always keep you safe. I love you, my little angel. Mummy will get better, I promise."_  
>Her mum's bedroom door didn't creak, luckily. She peered round, and sighed sadly when she saw the same figure huddled under the duvet, a thin hand clenching the pillow. the room smelt of smoke, and she quickly hurried around to the dressing table where five cigarette were lying, and chucked them in the ash tray. The money was still there, as it had been for weeks. She pocketed a few notes, then ran downstairs. He was there. Sitting in that armchair, a mug of beer in one hand. "A'ight there, sweetie?" He slurred, taking another huge gulp.<br>_"You be a good girl, hun. Daddy will be a good boy too, I promise."_  
>"Where's the wallet." She growled, staring at him. he smirked, and pointed at the coffee table. There it was, just lying there. She walked over and grabbed it, checking inside.<br>"Enough to keep us goin' for a while babe,"  
>"No. Enough to buy another few days beer for <em>you<em>." She hissed, shoving the wallet in her bag.  
>"What you on about? You ain't gonna' return it, are you?" He questioned, slowly standing up. She narrowed her eyes and began slowly backing out of the room, as he stumbled forwards to catch her. "Come back here, you little shit!" She just had to sleep rough a few days, until he had drunk himself stupid and had forgotten. Simple. Just like all the other times.<br>_"You love me, don't you, my little angel? I'll always love you, I promise."_

_*_End Flashback*  
><p>

* * *

><br>"So you want to find out what's wrong with Leanna, and you need my help." Gus stated, standing at the door of his room, his arms folded.  
>"Yeah, will you help us?" Liam asked, frowning at Frank who was standing a little further away, an unsure look on his face.<br>"Yes. I have enough time before practice time; three hours. First, I need a picture of her."  
>"Easy." Liam already knew what Gus needed if he was to do an investigation. He handed the boy the photo, and Gus walked into his room and stuck it on a board. It was of Liam, Leanna and Frank, their arms round each others shoulders, grinning at the camera. It had been taken the week before, when Leanna had come over to the Dumping Ground again and Carmen and Tee had given her a makeover. She did look really pretty, with eye liner and glittery eye shadow on, and her hair straightened. Gus got out a marker pen and began scribbling away by the photo.<p><p>

"Clue number one."

"She nicks stuff." Liam said, wondering around the room.

"She...nicks...stuff." Gus mumbled, writing it down. "Clue number two."

"She says things that don't make sense a lot." Liam opened the cupboard door, and quietly smirked with Frank when he noticed that all of Gus' clothes were exactly the same- a navy blue polo shirt and cream chino trousers.

"Such as?"

"She told me parents suck and then said later about how great her parents were,"

"And last week she had a new watch. First she said she bought it and then she told Tee that her Dad gave it to her." Frank told them, slowly beginning to understand Liam's concern.

"Which doesn't make sense because she's always skint." Liam murmured, walking back to the board and frowning. The three scribbled down their other reasons, and Gus stood back, a confused look on his face.

"This doesn't make sense." He grumbled.

"Right. Me and Frank will go into town and meet up with her, and try and find out anything else. We'll report back to you later." Liam decided, and went to the door.

"Okay. But be back before 1:15 pm because that's my practice time."

* * *

><p><em>To: Leanna<em>

_From: Liam:)_

__Heyy_, u busy? me & Frank r out,, meet us at Primark if u can?:)xx_

_To: Liam:)_

_From: Leanna_

__kk_, be there in 5! xx_

Leanna flipped her phone shut, and began making her way to the Primark at the bottom of the road of the town square. It was the day after she had been to the Dumping Ground to give Liam back his wallet, and she was glad that he wasn't still feeling odd about it. Had he suspected something? Oh God, if he started asking questions then she'd have to start making up new lies... she couldn't keep up with all the lies now. As she came closer to the shop, she saw Frank munching a box of chips and a burger, and Liam finishing his off. "Been burger diving, 'ave ya?" She asked, laughing at their mock shocked faces.

"Why would you ever think that?" Liam gasped, and Frank joined in, pretending to look deeply offended. Leanna laughed, and grabbed a chip from Frank's box.

"its actually well busy today...wonder why." She commented, looking around at all the people, most of them were teenagers with colourful clothes, just wondering around the area.

_Ladies and gentlemen...we got a special treat for you tonight. I'm gonna' call my friend Olly up here to sing to you ladies._

"What the..." Frank murmured, as a song began blasting from some speakers.

_My name is Olly, nice to meet you, can I tell you baby,  
>Look around there's a whole lot of pretty ladies,<br>But none like you, you shine so bright, yeah_

Suddenly all the people in the bright clothes stopped what they were doing and started dancing to the song; Dance With Me Tonight. "Oh! It's a flash mob kind of thing!" She gasped, grinning.

_I was wondering if you and me could spend a minute,  
>On the floor up and close getting lost in it,<br>I won't give up without a fight_.

Frank and Liam looked confused, and she rolled her eyes. "It's when a group of people suddenly do something random, and in this case, its dancing!" She laughed, grabbing their hands. "Come on!"  
>"But I cant dance!" Liam whined, and Leanna grinned.<br>"Doesn't matter!"

_I just wanna, ooh, oh baby,  
>I just want you to dance with me tonight,<br>So come on, ooh, oh baby,  
>I just want you to dance with me tonight.<em>

_We're getting sweaty, hot and heavy in the crowd now,  
>Loosen up and let your hands go down, down,<br>Go with it girl, yeah just close your eyes, yeah_.

Everyone was whirling around, the colours a blur, the flash mob people doing their own routine of course. Passersby joined in and began dancing with whoever they were with.

_I feel the music moving through your body,  
>Looking at you I can tell you want me,<em>

_Don't stop keep going till the morning light, yeah._

Leanna pulled them into the crowd and started dancing along, swinging their arms and laughing at the embarrassment on their faces. "Oh come on, don't be such spoilsports!" She joked, and spun Frank around. Getting a change of heart, the boys joined in, taking it in turns to dance crazily with eachother.

_When I saw you there,_

_Sitting all alone in the dark acting like you didn't have a care,  
>I knew right then, you'd be mine, and we'd be dancing the whole damn night right,<br>Ooh, oh baby, I just want you to dance with me tonight,  
>So come on, ooh, oh baby,<br>I just want you to dance with me tonight.  
><em>

Liam spun Leanna around, and she laughed, stepping back and forth to the beat with him. "This is the most fun I've had in like a year!" She laughed, her eyes bright. But then she seemed to realise what she said, and added "I'm joking!".

_Break it down now, shake it like that, now bring it all back,  
>To dance with me tonight,<br>One more time, one more time, come on now.  
>Do your thing, everybody sing,<br>I just want you to dance with me tonight, yeah_

Sensing that Liam was suspecting something, she narrowly avoided a dancer and danced with Frank instead. "Woo, look at Liam!" Frank cheered, clapping. The boy was break dancing, earning cheers from the crowd who had gathered around.

_I just wanna, ooh, oh baby,  
>I just want you to dance with me tonight<br>Ooh, just close your eyes, we can dance all through the night  
>I just want you to dance with me tonight,<br>And everybody sing, girl just close your eyes  
>We can dance all through the night<br>I just want you to dance with me tonight  
>So come on, just close your eyes,<br>We can dance all through the night  
>I just want you to dance with me tonight<em>

Liam dusted himself off as he stood up, and grinned at the two speechless people in front of him. "What?" He asked innocently.

"...Since when did you dance?" Leanna cried, clapping him.

"Well..."

* * *

><p>Leanna sat back on the bench, exhausted. Frank and Liam sat either side of her, just as tired. "I can't believe you made us walk around the whole of Primark!" Liam grumbled, circling his ankles.<p>

"There was a sale!" Leanna retorted, smiling in amusement at the two boys.

"Yeah, but you didn't even buy anything!" He complained, and Frank grunted in agreement. Leanna's face fell and she was silent for a moment.

"You guys know I'm skint." She said coldly. Frank and Liam exchanged glances, and then sat up properly.

"Leanna...what's really going on?" Frank asked softly, placing a hand comfortingly on her knee. She sighed and stared at them both for a minute.

"Nothing." _They were having such a good time earlier, and now it was ruined. Just because they had to be nosy._ Leanna thought. Well, she wasn't going to tell them so quickly.  
>Liam flipped down the hood of his purple hoodie, starting to get impatient. If something was wrong, didn't she understand they could help? Frank was getting uncomfortable, and his brown eyes darted around.<p>

"Leanna, you can trust us, you can tell us anything!" Liam smiled, pressing on. She narrowed her brown eyes, not really knowing what to say for a moment.

"And how do I know that?" _Come on Leanna...don't blow it...  
><em>"Leanna, you just can, I promise." he stated, his face serious, but soft and caring at the same time, Frank was looking at her sadly, he knew something was up, but then it changed to concern, why was he looking at her like this?  
>"Leanna?" Frank said nervously. She was sitting there, her fist clenched so hard that her knuckles were turning white. Her eyes had gone cold and she was breathing quickly. Suddenly she snapped.<p>

"NO! No, don't say you promise! Don't! You don't mean it! No! No, please!" She was standing up, facing them now. Passers by were staring as she had begun to yell, and just when they thought she was going to get worse, she ran.

"Liam...what have we done?" Frank whispered.

* * *

><p>"So she got angry." Gus stated. He wrote some more stuff on the board, but looked confused. "This still doesn't tell me anything."<p>

"Come on Gus, think!" Liam urged, getting desperate. He was worried about her, anyone could tell.

"Something to do with promises." Frank piped up, remembering how she had yelled at them. "She doesn't believe it when we promise something."  
>"So thats what made her angry." Gus said, stating the ovbious. "That's clue number three." He scribbled away under his subtitle, 'Clue 3'.<p>

"We ain't getting nowhere." Liam sighed, and got up to leave. "She probably won't talk to us now, anyway."

Frank got up to follow his friend, when the door opened slightly and Tee peered in. "Umm guys, I kind of overheard you speaking about Leanna." She said timidly, and Liam opened the door wider to let her in.

"And?" He asked.

"Well...I think I know something that might help you guys."

**A/N: ahhh you lucky lot got to watch the third series of TBR while I either have to wait until summer or wait until someone uploads it to utube! Its because I used to live in England two years ago, but I moved to Asia where they don't show it :( Anyways. In the flashback i didnt mention anynames on purpose, and sorry about the dancing im terrible at discribing scenes like that! So please please please review :)**


	6. Posessions & Muggings

**A/N: Starting to get writers block,, aaaah! Please review, I love reviews and they make me write faster! :D**

~Chapter 6 - Posessions & Muggings~

Taking a deep breath, Tee held out her hands. She was holding a A4 size drawing of an 18 year old boy and a gorgeous glass ballerina. "These are Leanna's." She began.  
>"Why'd she give 'em to you?" Liam asked, closing the door behind Tee. He was frowning in confusion. Biting her lip and feeling a wave of doubt, Tee wondered whether to tell them. After all, Leanna had told her in confidence, and had trusted her. But it was for the best. She had to help her friend.<br>"This ballerina was given to her by her Grandparents, it means a lot to her. She gave it to me because she wanted me to keep it safe. I- I wasn't meant to hear and I think she didn't mean to say it but she said that 'otherwise _he_ will smash it to get to me'." Tee gabbled, holding up the ballerina statue for Gus to inspect.  
>"Ok. This drawing is signed- Leannabeth Smith." Gus mumbled. He took the drawing from Tee for a moment and studied it carefully. "And it's dated; 15th September last year. She must of drawn it, and it's of a man in a army uniform. It's very good."<br>"I wonder who it is." Frank wondered, sitting back down on Gus' bed.  
>"Its her brother." Tee interrupted quietly. "He left to join the army two years ago, and she drew that when he visited her. These two things are the most important things she has."<br>"So we have to find out who 'he' is" Gus stated, checking his watch. "And its two minutes and thirty seconds until practice time, so be quiet and don't touch anything." Gus hurried out of the room and sped downstairs to his piano.

* * *

><p>Frank squeezed his eyes shut and then opened them again, trying to force himself to wake up properly. He was trying to get back into the school routine, they would be going back to school in two days. Sighing in self pity he pushed himself up and off of the bed, and grabbed some clothes out of his drawer and got changed quickly. As he walked down the hallway he peered into Liam's room to see if the boy was awake; no, he was lying spread out on his bed, still fast asleep.<p>

"Morning Frank!" Mike called cheerfully as he walked out of the office, and Frank smiled at him. He walked into the kitchen where Gina was bumbling around, muttering angrily.

"Oh, hello Frank!" She said, stopping for a moment. "Has Tracy come in yet?" Frank shook his head, and took a piece of toast from the plate. He laughed to himself as Gina carried on muttering angrily, trust Tracy to get her mad.

"Oh, by the way Frank, Tracy is taking you, Johnny and Carmen out to town for new clothes." Gina added, as Frank left the room. "If she ever arrives."

Frank sighed, he wasn't too keen on buying clothes, especially when Liam wasn't there to much about with him so they didn't get bored. Liam was grounded, as Mike had somehow found out about their market scam and they had been in tons of trouble. They had been given the option to either do the washing up and the weeding in the garden for a week, or be grounded for the week. Frank had chosen the chores, he didn't want to be cooped up inside. What if his Granddad wanted another outing? He couldn't take the chance.  
>"Tracyyyyyy!" Carmen squealed, hopping down the stairs two at a time to reach the door where the young care worker was coming in from. "Lets go lets go!" She yelled, grabbing her pink bag from the sofa.<p>

"Alright, alright Carmen, I've only just got in give me a chance!" Tracy laughed, ruffling Carmen's hair, who then flattened it down quickly. Johnny lumbered down the stairs, grabbing his jacket and throwing Frank his.  
>"Lets get this over with," He hissed to Frank.<p>

* * *

><p><p>

"Oh my Gosh Tracy can I get it? Please please please pleaaasee?" Carmen begged, hugging the pink halter-neck t-shirt and blinking her eyes at Tracy. Sighing, the care worker indicated to the basket, and Carmen squealed in delight, chucked it in and skipped off.

"Right Johnny, you're next." She told him, trying to sound enthusiastic. "Frank, you can go wonder around; you look bored. Be back outside Primark in half an hour!" Tracy told Frank, noticing his bored expression. Frank grinned and ran off, to the exit of the two floor Primark. He didn't really know where to go, personally he preferred the shopping centre, there were more shops that he liked, like the sports & music shops. What exactly could he do now he wasn't looking for new clothes? He never usually went out without Liam or Leanna. Not that he'd be hanging out with Leanna anyway. She hadn't spoken to them since she shouted at them two days ago, he kind of missed her company. She was one of his best friends now, but not before Liam. No one came before Liam. Well maybe his Granddad. Family always comes first though, right? If Liam had known he was thinking that he would have said that it was stupid. Liam didn't know though, he didn't have a family. Frank had Granddad, that was good enough. And he never wanted to lose him, or Liam either. Or Leanna. If they ever talked to her again.

Feeling his stomach growl, Frank contemplated whether to burger dive or just use his pocket money. He didn't burger dive without Liam either- Gosh, he sounded so nondependent! He didn't need Liam. Deciding to buy properly, Frank made his way to the nearest McDonalds. He didn't have to scam all the time. _Cheese burger...and a Mcflurry_. he thought, feeling his stomach rumble again.

Eating the remains of his oreo Mcflurry, Frank chucked the cup in the bin and left Mcdonalds. he had fifteen minutes left until he had to go back to Tracy. Where could he go now? Looking around, it was pretty quiet. There were only a few people around, most were at the shopping mall, as this random band were playing. There were only 4 other people in the area, a tall, slightly plump middle-aged man with spiky blonde hair, and a girl of about 13, with curly black hair in a high pony tail which was covered with her purple hoodie, and she was wearing black jeans. The other two were an old couple, who were sitting on the bench and throwing bread to the pigeons. Frank stared at the girl, she seemed familiar. Suddenly she turned to look at him, her eyes piercing into his skin. It was Leanna.

"Hey Leanna!" He called, waving. She stiffened and looked away, not responding. Who was that man she was with? He was staring at Frank, it was quite intimidating. He whispered to Leanna, and pointed at Frank, not making any secrecy of it. Leanna seemed to shake her head, and argued back. He grabbed her arm and Frank gasped silently, not knowing what to do. The man hissed something at her and pushed her in Frank's direction, and Leanna winced and walked towards him.

As she got closer, Frank noticed she wasn't smiling, and had an almost regretful look on her face. She grabbed his sleeve and dragged him to the alleyway, and she roughly pushed him against the wall. "Do what I say." She hissed, her eyes flicking to the man who was standing a little away, watching them. What was she doing? This wasn't the Leanna he knew. He nodded weakly, not knowing what to do. "Empty your pockets, and don't say anything." She told him quietly, gently shoving him again. Frank fumbled in his trouser pockets, pulling out his wallet and an ice cream coupon. "When I push you, act like it hurts." She snatched it, and pushed him softly again, and he stumbled, falling back against the wall. "I'll return it tomorrow. I'm so sorry." He swore she was about to cry, but the only thing he could actually think of as he watched her run back down the alleyway and to the man who stood there, a small smile on his face was one sentence.

His best mate had just mugged him.

**Review! ;)**


	7. Losing a Friend

**A/N: sorry, short chapter here! Just wanted to get this done because I'm busy. Changed the layout of my chapters, is this better now or the previous layout? Oh and I can now watch the episodes on youtube, thanks for telling me! Loving the third series so far! Hope you like this chapter, the next one will be longer! Reviews are appreciated!**

"Lily!" Carmen's happy shouts rang out around the house, as they chucked the glitter at eachother in their room. Lily had come back to live at the Dumping Ground yesterday afternoon, but without Poppy and Rosie. She had been pretty upset, but Carmen had soon managed to cheer her up and the two were back to their happy selves. Frank and Liam on the other hand, were the complete opposite.

"Harry, turn the channel back." Liam ordered, his paitence running thin. The little 6 year old boy shook his head cheekily, and sat one on of the cushions to watch 'The Jungle Book', which was showing on the movie channel. He had Jeff sat in his lap, and both were watching the screen intently to see if there were any girraffes. "Harry," Liam repeated.

"Oi, leave him be he wants to watch this!" Sapphire warned, glaring at Liam and then smiling softly at Harry.

"Yeah, but we was watching something." Liam retorted. Frank bit his lip, looking worried. Liam had been in a bad mood all day.

"It doesn't matter Liam." He interrupted, and Liam gave the three a glare and stormed out. Sapphire smirked, watching him leave. Then she turned to Frank, who was staring after him, an annoyed look on his face.

"A'right, whats going on?" She demanded, sitting up and fluffing up the cushion behind her. Frank sighed, rubbing his temples.

"When I was out, yesterday, I saw Leanna." Frank began. Sapphire nodded, and he continued. "She was with this man, he looked kinda' scary. I tried to talk to her...but she dragged me down this alleyway and mugged me."

Sapphire's eyes widened and she leaned forward, interested. "Let me get this right. Your best mate mugged you? That can't be right."

Frank nodded, sighing again. "She told me she'd give it back today, I think she was put up to it by that man. I don't want to talk to her though."

"Ah, so when you told Liam what happened, he turned all moody. I get it." Frank looked away, and stared at the screen. "Look, Frank. There must've been a reason, you've just got to let her explain, alright? She wouldn't mug you for nothing. She seemed like a decent girl." Sapphire smiled sympathetically, and Frank smiled back. Atleast she wasn't being all moody aswell, and you could always count on Sapphire for advice, when she was in a good mood, of course. He still wasn't going to talk to Leanna though.

"Sapphire, what does mugged mean?" Harry asked, staring up at the teenagers with his big blue eyes.

"Nothing Harry, nothing."

* * *

><p><em>To: Liam:)<br>__From: Leanna  
><em>_Hey, go 2 ur back gate, got Frank's stuff...xx_

_To: Leanna:)  
><em>_From: Liam  
><em>_kk  
><em>

Leanna stared at the message for a moment, feeling dejected. She could tell, even by his texts that Liam was pissed with her. He'd probably never talk to her again, Frank probably wouldn't either. Not after what she'd done. _Well done, Leanna. _She had two best friends who cared about her and she could have fun with them and be herself, and now she had gone and completely messed it up. Oh well, no point trying to explain the situation to Liam O'Donovan. He wouldn't listen to her anyway. _Just give the stuff back and go._

The gate creaked open and Liam stepped out, his hands in his pockets. He took one look at her leaning against the stone wall and held out his hand. "A'ight, hand it over." He said, his tone flat and his eyes cold. Leanna fumbled in her pocket and pulled out the wallet and the voucher, and placed it in the boy's awaiting hand.

"It's all there, you can check." She stated, and turned to go, pulling her hood up over her head.

"Why'd you do it?" That made her turn around, and she studied him for a moment. He had sat down on the step and was watching her with his curious brown eyes, his elbows resting on his knees.

"I had to."

"Yeah, but you could've said no. Whoever he was, he don't own you Leanna!" Liam said, a hint of fustration in his voice. Even if he wasn't going to be friends with her anymore, he still wanted to know what made her do it. After all, what had Frank ever done? Nothing, exactly.

"And neither do you, Liam! I had no choice, a'ight?" She was facing him now, her arms crossed in a defensive way. She wasn't eager to be open about things. There was silence for a couple of seconds.

"Look, I don't care if you had a choice or not. You still shouldn't 'ave done it, C'mon Leanna, Frank's one of your best mates!" He stood up, his voice raising.

Leanna stiffened, her eyes growing cold and dark. He just wouldn't give it a rest, would he? "Yeah, and that's why I did it. It was for his own safety!" It was true, though. _He_ would have hurt Frank bad if Leanna hadn't agreed. She'd had it happen before, and wasn't ready to let her best mate be beaten up by that monster.

"Huh, why did I bother? You just used us didn't you." Liam accused, clenching his fists. That whole summer of friendship, for nothing.

"S'cuse me? Use you? You're wrong there Liam. Maybe I was the one who made the mistake." She shoved her hands in her pockets and breathed slowly, trying not to lose her temper. Though she looked angry on the ouside, her heart was breaking. She hated fighting with those who meant most to her, and she knew that it was serious now, there was no going back.

"So what you're trying to say is, you should've never talked to us that day at the market? You're right. Things would be so much better if you didn't." He shouted, turning to go back up the steps and to the house.

"Okay then, that's it. You're just gonna' accuse me of using you's when you actually meant a whole lot to me. Great." Her eyes were filling with tears but she blinked them away, determined not to seem weak. Thats the first step to trouble.

Liam on the other hand, was fuming. "Whatever," He scoffed. "You mean nothin' to me, or Frank, Leannabeth Smith." He didn't mean it, really. he just seemed to say stuff when he was angry, stuff he didn't always mean.

"S'okay. It ain't your fault. Just one last thing, fuck you." She swore, scowling at him before storming off, not looking back once. He meant nothing to her, not anymore. _But he did, they both did. _

**Oh deary me! review please! **


	8. Memories & Grades

**A/N: Not sure if many of you saw the last chapter, go check it out if you didn't! Anyway, hope this one's ok and not too boring. reviews appreciated! **

"Leanna, Mr. Graves wants to talk to you." Jane mumbled, grabbing her bag from the locker. Leanna rolled her eyes and nodded, opening her locker. "What you done now?" She giggled, and Leanna cringed.  
>"I actually don't know, he bloody hates me, don't he!" Leanna replied, shoving some books in her bag and swinging it over her shoulder. "See 'ya tomorrow, a'ight?"<br>Jane nodded and left to go, her short figure bouncing out of the school. Don't be fooled. Although little Jane had short, brown hair to match her size, she was the fiercest you could get. You would be lucky to have her on your side, and luckily Leanna was on good terms with her, so if anyone was to mess with Leanna, she could just call Jane and all would be sorted. She was the type that you wouldn't suspect, the innocent-looking one. You'd expect her to be sitting at home reading a book, when really she was out stealing stuff and smoking with members of the gang she was in.  
>Leanna didn't get mixed up with that stuff. Life would get so much more complicated, so she just kept to herself and kept on good terms with all the people who thought they were hard. Well, most of them you wouldn't want to get on the bad side of and then bump into them alone in a dark alley. Despite having only being a week and a half into year 9, Leanna was finding herself getting piled up with the stress, school work, her parents, keeping herself fed and healthy, money problems...it was all heaping on her. She had once considered joining a gang... perhaps earn some money by the drug business that went on behind peoples backs. But she soon snapped out of it, after a boy named Joseph was killed in a drug-related incident. No way could she put herself in that danger.<br>Slamming her locker shut, Leanna turned away from the front door and made her way back to her Form class, where Mr. Graves stood by the door, waiting. He didn't really hate her. She never really played up in English or Math, they were important subjects and if she was to get out of this dump and make a life for herself she would need to be successful in school. She usually ended up after school in a classroom, not because of detention but to ask for help on certain subjects. Of course she never told anyone that. Her life would be ruined. This was not a place to be bullied, the kids could grind you into the ground.

"A'ight Mr. Graves, how may I help you?" She asked, leaning against the wall. The teacher chuckled to himself, shaking his head at the cheeky girl. But concern quickly spread over his round face, and he stared hard at the girl.  
>"Leannabeth, is everything okay at home?" He asked, ushering her into the classroom. Leanna stiffened, and her eyes darted around the room.<br>"Yes, fine. Why?"  
>"Its just that...since the school year has started your work has been going downhill..." He trailed off, sitting down at his desk and resting his head in his hands.<br>Leanna frowned, biting her lip. "That happens to everyone, can't expect me to be perfect." She replied, beginning to edge to the door.  
>"Leannabeth, wait. Its been going down hill rapidly. At the end of last year you were earning 6c's in maths, and now its dropped a whole level to a 5c. In English, you were at 6a. Now? Now its down to a 4b." Mr. Graves looked genuinely concerned, a look of worry over his face.<br>"I don't know, look, I've gotta' be somewhere. Is there anyway to bump them up?" She asked, opening the door.  
>"If you hand in your assignments and they are of a good standard, that will help. Also if you do good in the exams that determine what sets you will be in. See you tomorrow Leannabeth." Mr. Graves said. Leanna nodded and opened the door. "And I'm here if you need to talk," He added.<br>"Whatever."

It was beginning to get chilly, and Leanna flipped her hood over her head and zipped up her hoodie. She was wearing skinny jeans so her legs were warm, but her cheeks were rosy from the wind that bit at her. Checking around her quickly, Leanna zipped into the library as if someone was chasing her. "Afternoon, Leanna!" The librarian called from behind the desk, giving a cheerful wave. Leanna smiled and waved back, and made her way to the computers in the back. She usually went to the library, she could get her homework done without being interrupted and besides, they didn't have a computer back at home. Pulling her English folder out of her bag, Leanna winced as she looked at her latest score on her mock exam, 4b. Her writing was messy, and she had hardly bothered with punctuation at all. She logged onto the computer and opened up a new document, and began typing. _Work hard and you'll get out of here._

_*Flashback*_  
><em>"Something smells good!" Liam stepped out the back door, and took a deep breath. <em>  
><em>"Can't be you then," Leanna grinned, and he shoved her playfully.<em>  
><em>"I meant the food, you div!"<br>"Back again, are we Leanna?" Mike joked cheerfully, jogging over and guiding the three over to the grass, where a barbeque was set up and the kids were playing happily. _  
><em>"Yessss, barbeque night!" Frank grinned, running over to join a game of football with Johnny and Toby. Mike watched, as Leanna stared as he cooked the beef on the barbeque.<br>"Do you want to stay for dinner?" He asked, and she jumped slightly, and looked up at him._  
><em>"Really? Are you sure? I mean there might not be enough food and..."<br>"Not enough food? Leanna we have plenty!" Mike chuckled, giving her a plastic plate. "Help yourself." Leanna nodded and her eyes slowly drifted across the food available, Mike was right, there was tons. Gosh, she must have sounded like such an idiot. Taking a piece of steak and some chips, she went over to the bench and sat down. The smell was overwhelming, Liam was right, it smelt great. She tucked in straight away, savoring each bite. Leanna had never been to a barbeque._  
><em>Liam flopped down next to her, and stole a chip from her plate. "A'right, Leanna?" He asked, chewing on it. Leanna nodded enthusiastically, licking her lips.<br>"This is amazing!" _  
><em>"Yeah I know. We're doing a bonfire next, so once you've finished come play some footie before we light the fire." Liam told her, got up and ran off. <em>

_"Leanna you cheat!" Tee laughed, as Leanna shoved Carmen out of the way to get the ball. They were playing older kids verses younger kids, with Liam, Sapphire, Frank, Leanna and Johnny on one side, and Carmen, Tee, Harry, Toby and Gus on the other. Carmen stuck her tongue out at Leanna and laughed, she knew Leanna meant no harm._  
><em>"Well I've gotta get these losers a goal at some point, don't I!" She grinned, shooting at the goal. Toby leapt for it, flinging his arms up as he fell through the air. The ball made contact with his hand with a satisfying thunk, and bounced off into a bush somewhere. Everyone stopped and stared at Toby, shock covering their faces. Toby stood there, his eyes wide. Suddenly he started jumping around, waving his hands in the air.<br>"I saved it!" He yelled over and over again, a wide grin stretching to his eyes. The others laughed and cheered for him, and Leanna patted him on the back._  
><em>"Nice one, Toby!" She smiled, and then ran off into the bushes to get the ball. <em>  
><em>"You're terrible at football, ya' know." Leanna rolled her eyes as the arrogant voice floated over to her. <em>  
><em>"Yes I know, Mr. I'm amazing at everything." She scoffed, turning around and chucking the ball at him. Liam grinned at her and walked over, making his way through the piles of leaves.<br>"I am!" He protested. "Except for stopping the Liamade from exploding...but that's gonna' change soon." _  
><em>Leanna shoved her hands in her shorts pockets and shook her head at the boy in the purple hoodie, smiling. "I don't think so. Oh, thanks for letting me stay for dinner." She added, walking over to him as he threw the ball through the bushes to the game.<br>"You can come over whenever, ya' know that." _  
><em>Leanna smiled weakly, hoping with all her heart that she wouldn't mess this friendship up. "Cheers Liam. You're a good mate."<em>  
><em>"So're you, cheater." He said, winking, and putting and arm round her shoulder. "C'mon, lets go rub the other team into the ground with our victory." <em>

_The sparks floated into the sky before disappearing, leaving a little light in the darkening sky. The kids were all laid out on the grass, around the burning camp fire. Gina was roasting the marshmallows and handing them out, and Mike was snoozing on the bench. Tracy nibbled on a marshmallow, smiling at the sky. "I remember when I was a kid and..." _  
><em>"Traaaccyyy!" The kids groaned, and she glared at them playfully, pretending to look offended.<em>  
><em>"Fine, I won't tell you about my adventures as a kid." She stuck her tongue out at the kids and Gina laughed out loud. Leanna closed her eyes, listening to the breathing of Frank and Liam, who were lying either side of her. Suddenly there was a blinding flash of light and her vision turned red, before she squeezed her eyes and blinked them open. Either side of her Liam and Frank were groaning and covering their eyes with their arms, and Tracy was stood over them, a camera pointed at the three. "Haha, this is a good one!" She grinned, showing them. Leanna had bright pink lipstick on and glittery eye shadow, pink fluff all over her hair and one of Tee's headbands on. <em>  
><em>Earlier, Tee and Carmen had given Leanna a makeover after the football game, they had straightened her hair and made her look really pretty. Tracy, who was snapping photos every moment insisted on a photo of Tee, Carmen and Leanna together and then another one of Leanna, Liam and Frank. Suddenly deciding that Leanna should have another makeover, they dragged her back upstairs and insisted on making her look absolutely ridiculous. Leanna didn't protest. She was having fun, playing sports with the boys and just having a girly time with Carmen and Tee. She hadn't had any close friends that she could do this stuff with before, and she was having so much fun.<em>  
><em>"Oh God, we look so stupid!" Leanna groaned, giggling as Liam and Frank groaned at Tracy, who skipped off, laughing. "This has got to be the best night ever," She said quietly to herself, staring up at the starry sky.<em>  
><em>*End Flasback*<em>

Leanna snapped out of it, her green eyes staring hard at what she had written. She was supposed to write about the people that meant the most to her, describing what they were like and how they acted. All she had written was how Liam and Frank were her best friends, and how Liam was a scammer and Frank had cerebral palsy but that didn't mean he was any different from everyone else.

Oh what had she done?

**A/N: which layout is better, previous or this one? Please review :D**


	9. Keep Holding On

**A/N: Hope I did okay on this chapter, its kind of the most important one in the story. Review please, I dont think Im getting any reviews now, dont know why :S thanks to those who do though :D**

Keep Holding On

_Keep holding on, _  
><em>Cos you know we'll make it through, <em>  
><em>we'll make it through<em>  
><em>Just stay strong, <em>  
><em>cos you know I'm here for you, <em>  
><em>I'm here for you<br>__There's nothing you can say,_  
><em>Nothing you can do,<em>  
><em>There's no other way when it comes to the truth<em>

* * *

><p>"Liam?"<p>

"A'ight Tee?" Liam answered, looking up from his phone as Tee and Frank entered his room hesitantly. Tee had the statue and the drawing in her hands again, and the same sheepish look on her face.

"I remembered that we still have Leanna's stuff... and she's not coming back so...I wanted to ask you what we should do with them." She said.

"We should give them back." Frank interrupted, and glanced at Liam to see if he agreed. The boy had a strained look on his face and stared at the items in Tee's hands for a few moments before answering.

"You're right. i'll get her address off Gus and go check the place out after school. If it's the right place me n' Frank will go back there and give her stuff back." Liam decided, breathing out heavily and getting up to go to his closet. "Now shove of both of ya', I'm about to get changed!"

* * *

><p>Leanna sighed, as she pulled the mop along the floor, leaving a trail of water. She had been kept home to clean up the house, as they were going to have guests. Mr. Graves would be expecting her essays today. It was her final chance to straighten things out, and now she was prevented again from fixing it. Soaking the mop again and squeezing it out, she moved onto the next room, the kitchen. It was a mess. There were broken beer bottles carelessly left around, spilled food which had become stuck to the counters. It had been a beautiful kitchen when she was younger. She could barely remember anything, but she could remember her Dad cooking pancakes when she was four, and one getting stuck to the ceiling as they do in those stories. If only it was like that now.<p>

Hearing a thump coming from upstairs, Leanna balanced the mop against the fridge and hurried up the stairs, wondering what had happened. _He _was out, so it must have been her mother. There was bright light coming from her Mums room, which could only mean one thing; she had finally gotten up. Leanna was right, there she was, standing by the dressing table. "Oh, hello darling! Thought I'd get me' self prettied up for the dinner party, eh?" She cooed, stubbing out her cigarette.

She always had been pretty, her mum. She was half Indian and half English, and had straight black hair that cascaded down her back to her waist. It was all messy and tangled now, but with a shower and a few tugs of the brush it would be fine. Her almond shaped eyes looked brighter than usual, and Leanna could see her mother had already began to outline them with black eyeliner.

It came as a shock, to see the woman who had spent years cooped up in her room, depending on Leanna to look after her, coping with depression and an addiction to tobacco and drugs, standing, awake and happy and ready to get glammed up. Leanna put a hand on the door frame to steady herself, but regained her balance quickly. "Right Mum, lets get you looking pretty then!" She grinned, and went to run a bath.

"So sweetie, why aren't you at school?" Her mother asked, no sign of concern. She was like a mate, not a mother. Leanna swallowed and pulled the brush through her mum's hair.

"I came home during lunch, I wanted to help clear up." It wasn't all a lie, she was helping clear up. It wouldn't be long until school ended anyway, only an hour or so. The front door slammed loudly and Leanna could hear heavy footsteps. He was back.

"The front garden is a mess! Clear it, now!" The voice travelled up the stairs, angry and irritated. Leanna shot up and hurried down the stairs, the last thing she wanted to do was make him angry.

* * *

><p>"30, Parker Road." Liam said to himself, as he grabbed his backpack from his locker and slung it over his shoulder. Before anyone started a game of football and invited him to join, he sauntered out of school and wondered which way to go. He knew she went to Hillside Comprehensive, and that was over the other side of town. Great, he'd have to catch the bus. Perhaps if he started there he could find his way to her house.<p>

There were only a few kids milling around the school once he had gotten off the bus that stopped outside it. It was run down, much worse than his school and he thought that was bad. There was no sign of Leanna, and perhaps it was a good thing. He'd probably end up arguing with her again, that seemed like the only thing they were capable of. Taking a wild guess, he crossed over and took a left turn down a main road, hoping to find the road. That was when he had an idea. She was always at the town centre, so perhaps if he went that way he could find it. Her house must be closer to the town centre than the school, so it couldn't be that hard.

He was right, as he got closer to the main road which lead to the town centre, sure enough there was a side road with the name; Parker Road. He turned into it, smiling in relief when he saw the thick hedges that he could hide behind, just incase she happened to come outside.

Why was he so desperate to keep away from her? Liam O'Donovan was not a coward, but the question finally made itself clear in his mind, and he wondered himself why. Was it because he didn't want to be disappointed again? He was used to disappointment, but this was different. She was one of his best friends, and Frank's too. Maybe he was just standing up for Frank? The boy who stood by his side at all times, his best friend, and he was just like a brother. That was it, he was trying to protect his 'brother'. Or was it?

His train of thought was interrupted when the door to a shabby house opened, and a girl stepped out, carrying a broom. Liam reacted quickly, and slipped behind the bush that was almost as tall as him. Through the leaves, he could see clearly who it was. Leanna.

She looked up, confused for a moment, and then shook her head and began to sweep the leaves from the oak trees into a pile. The house was a mess, with empty and broken alcohol bottles strewn across the dead lawn, and smashed glass everywhere. He never imagined Leanna living in a place like this, and he still couldn't. Her situation wasn't this bad, was it?

Leanna pushed back her side fringe, and blew upwards to cool herself down even though it was cold outside. She was wearing a dark blue short sleeved top, and skinny jeans with trainers. She looked absolutely worn out, as she bent down to pick up a bottle. Without warning, she stood up suddenly swearing, clutching her palm against her shirt. Liam jumped and fell backwards, creating a loud rustle. Leanna looked up, her green eyes boring into the hedge Liam was hiding in. "Who's there." She asked, but it was more of a command than a question. Reluctantly, Liam stood up, and she gasped and moved her hand, leaving a blood stain.

She hadn't expected to see the boy, in his uniform, with his tie hanging loose and his blazer a size too big. "Liam... you have to go. Now. Get out of here." She hissed, her eyes darting back to the house.

"A'ight, a'ight, just came to see where you lived. Tee wanted to give back your stuff. But y'know, should've saved the effort, you'd probably come and nick it back." He spat, giving a sarcastic laugh. She looked hurt, and stepped forwards as if she wanted to say something, but she stopped when she heard the front door open. A tall man came out, with blonde hair and piercing blue eyes, but the same nose and mouth as Leanna.

"Who's that, Leanna? Some other friend? You slacker." He growled, stepping outside and lifting his arm as if he was going to throw something. a bottle. Liam moved as he threw it, expecting it to be aimed at him. But it wasn't.

"Leanna, move!" He yelled, stumbling out of the bushes as the bottle flew through the air, towards the stunned girl. She managed to jump out of the way just in time, but the bottle still made contact with her arm and shattered, the glass cutting into her skin. She swallowed hard, her heart beating fast. He had never done this before. He had never hurt her.

_"__Don't worry hun, I'll always keep you safe. I love you, my little angel. Mummy will get better, I promise."  
><em>

"You're useless! A piece of crap!" He yelled, storming forwards and yanking her up by the arm. She winced, holding back a scream as his fist clenched her bloodied arm.

_"You love me, don't you, my little angel? I'll always love you, I promise." _

Liam ran forwards, onto the drive, and with all his strength he shoved the man away from Leanna. She stood there, shocked, her mind muddled with a thousand thoughts and broken promises. "Leave her alone!" He shouted, grabbing Leanna's hand and trying to get her to run. She was frozen, and refused to move. She couldn't just leave, he would never be okay without her. He needed her to get money, to keep the house clean, to look after mum. She needed to prove that she wasn't useless. Running away from the drunk, dangerous man was surprisingly the last thing on her mind.

"Who do you think you are, boy? You'll pay." The man slurred, picking himself up and stumbling towards Liam and Leanna, his eyes cold and angry. Leanna still wouldn't move, she had seemed to shut down.

She only snapped back when she felt Liam's hand being ripped from her grasp and saw him fall backwards, with the man towering over him. The man raised his fist to punch him, but a voice stopped him.

"Dad, NO!"

He stopped, let his arm drop, and stared at the girl who stood before him, a heartbroken look on her face. She hadn't called him Dad in a while. Liam scrambled to his feet and ran, pulling Leanna along with him. He looked back, to see the man standing there, watching them. Liam stuck his middle finger up at him, but the man didn't react, and just sat down on the step, no expression on his face. The sky opened up and bucketfulls of water poured down on the kids.

That was when he realised something.

She hadn't been telling him to leave because she hated him, she was trying to protect him from that that man, was Leanna's dad.

**A/N: Hope I did this well enough, review please! :D**


	10. Secrets & Truths

~Chapter 10-Secrets & Truths~

"Do you think you can get up there?" Liam asked nervously, glancing at Leanna's arm. The rain was washing away the blood but it still flowed out of the cuts that were gained from the glass.

Swallowing hard, Leanna peered at her arm as well, breathing slowly when she saw how much blood she was losing. She wasn't so good with blood, but she decided to man up and deal with it. "Yeah, I'll be okay." She said, taking a deep breath and hauling herself up onto the wall that surrounded the Dumping Ground. liam had taken her to the care home, and they had decided to climb in through the boys bathroom to not be seen.

They edged along the wall, ducking branches. Then they climbed up the roof of the shed until they were able to look into the window. Leanna squeezed her eyes shut, feeling light headed. She could see stars, they were spinning, flashing, disappearing...

Suddenly her foot slipped, knocking a tile from the roof. Liam automatically grabbed her uninjured arm, holding her tightly until she regained her balance. Flashing him a quick thank you smile, Leanna squeezed through the open window, and slipped onto the cold floor. Liam jumped through after her, extending a hand to help her up. She took it, and stood up, brushing herself off.

It was as messy as she thought; with clothes strewn all over the floor and random shampoo bottles knocked onto their sides. He laughed as she raised her eyebrows, and checked down the hallway before taking her hand again and creeping down the corridor towards Tee's room. She was inside, sewing a design onto a cushion, while Johnny sat on the bed, chatting to her about what had happened the day before with Carmen and her mum.

"Tee, can I ask ya' a favor?" Liam asked, opening the door slightly and looking in. Tee nodded and skipped up to him, a bright smile on her face. "Can... can Leanna stay in your room for a few days? And by stay, I mean hide?" He asked, opening the door wider and pushing Leanna in. With one look at Leanna's cut up arm, Tee stumbled backwards, a look of horror on her face.

"Umm..." She mumbled, not sure what to say. Johnny stormed over, glaring at Liam and Leanna.

"No way. _She_ is _not_ staying in Tee's room." He growled, he still hadn't made up with Liam over their fight the other day. Leanna steadied herself on the doorframe, feeling light headed again.

"Johnny, Tee can speak for herself!" Liam spat, stepping in front of Johnny and turning to Tee. "So, can she?"

Tee glanced at her brother, who was giving Liam a death stare. "I'm really sorry, but I don't think that she should because-" Liam didn't give Tee a chance to finish, as he stormed out and pulled Leanna towards Sapphire's room. She stumbled along behind her, cradling her arm.

Liam didn't even consider the sign on her door that had a warning for entering. He knocked loudly, tapping his foot impatiently. Sapphire opened the door, rolling her eyes at him. "What?" She asked. Then she spotted Leanna, and smirked slightly. "Oh look who it is, the little thief."

"Oi you can't talk." Liam hissed,referring to the incident with Ferris. She rolled her eyes again and then listened as he explained the situation.

"... Alright. But, you owe me." She agreed, and then beckoned Leanna into her room. It was lovely, with Sapphire's own art work all across the walls, with pictures of the dumping ground kids and an easel in the corner. "You might want to clean up _that_ though." She grimaced, gesturing to Leanna's arm. That was the last thing Leanna heard, before she collapsed onto the mattress and blacked out.

* * *

><p>Leanna's eyes fluttered open to see Frank, Liam and Sapphire standing over her, talking in hushed voices.<p>

"How are we going to keep her here without Mike, Gina or Tracy finding out?"

"I don't know... we could just keep it between us three."

"Nah, cos' Tee and Johnny already know, this ain't gonna stay a secret for long..."

"Well lets just tell all the other kids, but make them promise not to tell anyone."

"Why can't she just go home? She seemed fine before you showed up at her house..."

"You weren't there, you didn't see what that man was like! He was well mad!"

"Oooh Liam, since when were you so protective of her?"

"I aint prote-"

They suddenly stopped talking suddenly when they noticed she was conscious, and staring up at them, confused. "I can just go home if.." She began, then realised that her arm felt stiff. Looking down at it, she sighed in relief when she noticed that it was bandaged up and there was no blood to be seen.

"Look, Liam's right. It's too dangerous for you to go back. How about we just keep her here, and tell the other kids that know, that if they tell, they're dead?" Sapphire suggested, and Liam and Frank nodded. She nodded to confirm, and then left to find Harry.

"I...I'm sorry, guys." Leanna whispered, sitting up and cradling her knees. Liam sat down next to her on the mattress and Frank just smiled sadly.

"It's okay. i got my stuff back, didn't I?" Frank replied.

"It's not just that. I'm sorry for dragging you guys into this, you don't deserve it."

Liam took his dry hoodie off and put it around Leanna's shoulders. "When Sapphire comes back, get her to get you some clothes." He said gently. "And what's going on... we want to help!" He pushed the subject, and she stared at her nails for a moment, plucking the courage to tell them. Her brown eyes flashed with pain and she took a deep breath.

"It all started when I was about four. My mum...she's sick. She's addicted to drugs...tobacco... She got worse. My dad, he tried his best to care for us both. My brother did as well, he was fifteen then. He could look after himself, and he did most of the work." She paused for a moment. "Dad lost his job. I remember... I remember him coming home, shouting at Josh, I think he hit him. I ran in... I didn't know what was going on. I cried and cried, and Dad promised me he would never hurt me, or anyone. But a few weeks later, he started going to the pub instead of looking for a job. Josh had to collect me from school and nick stuff to get me food. When i was seven, Josh started training for the army. He...he told me he'd get us money. He went to Afghanistan on my eleventh birthday. He's visited twice, but I haven't seen him for a year. And its been just over two years."

* * *

><p><em>*Flashback*<em>

_"Josh, you will come back, won't you?" Leanna whispered, as she sat, curled up in her brothers lap. He looked down at her, his blue eyes sparkling with fresh tears that hadn't fallen yet. The boy looked like his father, with blonde hair and blue eyes, he had a different mother to Leanna. He was a good looking man as well, and had a girlfriend called Tia who he was leaving behind._

_"'Course i will, Leanna, I'll visit tons, a'ight?" He reasoned, rocking her slightly. He was already in his uniform. _

_"I'm a bit too big to fit on your lap, ain't I." Leanna giggled softly, the tears in her eyes threatening to spill over._

_josh cuddled her, smiling. "Yeah, but it don't matter." Then his smile dropped, and he turned serious. "Look, lets not avoid this Leanna. If... if you hear that I... I've passed away,"_

_"But that won't happen though." Leanna butted in._

_sighing, Josh scratched his shaved head. "Lets be serious about this hun. S'pose I do... you go to Tia, a'ight? She'll look after you."_

"_I won't need to 'cos you're not gonna' die. Please Josh, don't go!" Leanna pleaded, the tears finally spilling and rolling down her cheeks. __"Stay, I'll get a job and help you, I'll do the cleaning and-"_

_Josh shushed her, and rocked her slowly. "You can't get a job 'til you're fourteen! Look, Leanna, I need to. I'll come back, I promise." He kissed the top of her head, and his tears plopped onto her black hair. "I love you baby sis'. I'll miss you, I'll think of you everyday. You'll be fine." He whispered, over_ _and over, until her red eyes drooped and she fell asleep, her tear sodden cheeks resting against his chest._

_"JOSHUA?" Leanna sat up in her bed, her eyes darting around. Stumbling out of her room and rubbing the sleep from her eyes, Leanna searched the house, calling her brother's name frantically. Her dad came from the living room, and stopped her, holding her roughly by the shoulders.  
><em>  
><em><em>"He's gone Leanna. I need some bread, get out." He said coldly, shoving her in the direction of the door. <em>_

__*End Flashback*  
><em>_

__

* * *

><p> "Y'know... if we'd known this we..." Liam mumbled, biting his lip. Leanna just stared at the wall.<p>

"Its not your fault. and Frank... I 'mugged' you to protect you. My Dad would have hurt you to stop you from finding out what's really going on..." She sighed, and although she was choked up with sadness, there were no tears in her eyes.

Sapphire burst in, a foul look on her face. She was dragging Johnny by the sleeve and he had a guilty look on his face. "Guys, the little snitch Johnny just told half the kids that we're hiding Leanna." She grumbled, shoving Johnny into the room.

**A/N: Yay, done another chapter! Sorry if it seems a bit rushed, couldnt work out how to slow it down. Review please, it means a lot! :D**


	11. Hiding

Hiding

"He didn't mean to, he just says stuff when he's angry!" Tee begged, slipping into the room before Sapphire slammed the door shut. Johnny glared at them, sulking in the corner.

Leanna sighed, and ran a hand through her tangled hair. "Look, if it'll make it easier, I'll leave." She said, her tiredness showing in her eyes. Liam shook his head and Frank stood up and paced back and forth.

"You can't go back." Sapphire decided, folding her arms. Even though she wasn't keen on hiding someone in her room, Leanna had problem parents just like the rest of them and care kids stick up for each other. Except Leanna wasn't a care kid...yet. It wouldn't be long until social services found out about her parents and she was carted off to a Dumping Ground. Liam stood up and stormed over to Johnny, making the younger boy back up against the wall.

"This is all your fault Johnny!" He snapped, and Tee pushed him a way gently.

"Why don't we tell the kids who know that they can't tell or..." She trailed off, stuck for an idea.

Sapphire smirked. "Or else they're dead." She joked, but then turned serious. "Tell them that-"

The door burst open and Toby stumbled in, a book in his hands. He grinned sheepishly as he realised how many people were staring at him as if he was mad. "I err... I heard that Leanna had a cut arm..." He stammered, and the other kids just raised an eye brow. He threw his hands up in despair and pushed past them. "If it gets infected she could end up having to get it amputated, or worse!" He cried. Leanna giggled, and held out her bandaged arm for the Scottish boy to inspect. Gina's voice floated up the stairs, calling the kids to dinner. Leanna felt her stomach rumble and Frank laughed.

"We'll sneak some food up to you." He grinned.  
><p>

* * *

><br>"Right, Mike's staying overnight, so if he comes in he'll knock before. Hide in the cupboard, okay?" Sapphire instructed, and slipped between the covers. Leanna nodded and yawned, stretching her arms. She was wearing Sapphire's purple pajamas which were a little too big for her. The kids had decided to tell everyone who knew about Leanna not to tell... which was basically all the kids.

"Thanks, Sapphire." Leanna whispered, and the older girl chuckled and turned over.

"S'alright... " She replied.

"But why'd you do it?" Leanna continued.

Sapphire smiled sleepily. "Because only a few days ago I hid my brother here... I figured... why not help you? It's not like they'll find out anyway." She said, before closing her eyes. How wrong she was.

As Leanna settled under the duvet she stared out of the cracks in the curtains and up at the stars dotting the dark sky. What would her father be doing right now? Probably drinking himself silly. As for her mother... did she go out? And she couldn't stay hiding in the Dumping Ground forever. Where would she go, and when? It seemed like hours had passed before she finally curled up, hugging her knees to her chest and dropped off to sleep.

It was midnight when Leanna woke up. She had slept fine and dreamt of nothing. Her stomach was still rumbling- probably because all Liam and Frank managed to get her was half a sandwich. She lay on the mattress for a few more minutes, and tried to get back to sleep. But her stomach wouldn't give up and there was nothing she could do but go downstairs and find something to eat.

As quietly as she could, Leanna rose from the mattress, swearing as it creaked. Then she crept out of the door, living it ajar so she didn't have to keep opening and closing it. It was quite dark, but Leanna had been to Elm Tree House enough times to be able to make her way down the corridors and to the kitchen.

There was a dim light floating through the window in the kitchen, and the tiled floor was cold on her feet. No one was awake, luckily. Making her way over to the cupboards, Leanna decided to eat a packet of crisps so it wouldn't be so noticeable that stuff was missing. Even though crisps weren't the best food to keep her full for a while, Leanna munched the salty potato chips as fast as she could, out of hunger. Her fingers ached to take another packet... or perhaps a packet of bread... or maybe the biscuits that were left on the table. That vase would sell for a lot... They would all fit in her bag and she could get out of the house without being noticed.

She slammed her fist down onto the counter, frustrated with herself. How could she think such things? They had taken her in and hidden her, risking their trust with the care workers. Liam had risked getting hurt just to help her, Sapphire wasn't her friend but still she let her stay in her room. Frank was willing to forgive her. Toby had checked that her cuts were okay and had worried about her, without even liking her. She couldn't do that to them.

Leanna sat down on one of the stools and raked a hand through her wavy hair, and then folded her arms on the table and rested her head on them. She had a problem with stealing, she had to face up to it. But how could she stop when it was the only way she had known to stay alive? Josh would tell her it wasn't her fault if he was here. Speaking of Josh, how was Tia? Perhaps she could ask if she could stay with her, maybe she could give Tia a chance, like Josh had wanted. _Should probably go back up now_... Leanna thought to herself. But she was so tired...and the counter was actually quite comfortable...maybe a few more minutes...

"I was thinking we could have a trip to the sea side next month." Mike's voice floated down the corridor and woke Leanna with a start. Where was she?

"Mmm yeah, but Mike, we need to plan this, yeah?" Gina's voice now reached her ears, and Leanna suddenly came to her senses. She had fallen asleep in the kitchen! She jumped off the stool, wincing as she felt her neck protest at the sudden movements. She shouldn't have slept like that. Trying to step as quietly and as fast as she could, Leanna made her way to the back door, as the voices got closer. Her hand closed around the door handle-

"Leanna?" Mike's shocked voice stunned her, and she slowly turned around. mike and Gina were standing in the kitchen, looking extremely confused.

She cringed and let go of the door. "Err...Hi Mike...Gina..."

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><p>Leanna, Frank, Sapphire and Liam were all sat on the sofa under the stairs, not really knowing what to say. "A'ight, I'm gonna go and see what's taking so long." Liam sighed, and went to the office. Leanna bit her lip and lay back on the sofa, feeling nothing.<p>

After she had been caught, Leanna had attempted to lie about why she was there, but Gus had found out and didn't realise that Leanna didn't want them to find out. Now the care workers were in the office, arranging for Leanna to be taken into care. "Don't worry, you'll probably be sent here," Frank attempted to comfort Leanna, but she just stared at him.

"Yeah, I guess, but what about my brother? He won't know I'm here." Leanna sighed. Sapphire smiled at her sympathetically.

"Look, I'm sure they'll tell him." She said. The three were then silent again, waiting. The sound of shouting could be heard in the office, Liam obviously wasn't happy about something. Leanna gulped, and tried to distract herself by staring at the patterns of the wall. It wasn't working.

The door finally opened and Liam stormed out, a frustrated look on his freckled face. Mike came out after, and smiled gently at Leanna. "Your social worker, Alicia, will be here to collect you soon." He said, with his smooth Irish accent. Leanna sat up properly, feeling the nerves kick in.

"To collect me? Why?" She asked, calming down slightly when Frank put his hand on her shoulder comfortingly.

Mike's face softened and Liam looked away from Leanna. "To take you to your new care home, Burnywood."

**A/N: Did you see that coming? Did you? Did you? Hehe i only thought of that while writing the last paragraph. Last minute plot changes ftw? Yeah. I hope you liked this chapter, took me a while. Read and review please, feels like I'm losing readers? :( anywayys idk when the next chapter will be up, feeling ill. D: Review please:)**


	12. A Girl Called Leanna, Part 2

_**sorry this isn't a chapter... but there will be a new one soon. Just a few things I wanted to add to clear things up :)**_

**-Firstly this is in series 1, hopefully that is clear enough now.**

**-The episodes will have taken place in my story, I will write little hints to which one will have happened in the time around that chapter. **

**-Leannabeth smith is a quarter Indian and the rest English, thats why she has black hair :D **

**-Don't worry Burnywood wont be permenant!**

**-Do you think Liam & Leanna should get together? At the moment im not sure...**

**-Are the dumping ground kids ect in character? Sorry I get paranoid about that stuff :')**

**-Oh and i realised the whole thing about Josh might not make sense, he's Leanna's half brother with a girlfriend called Tia. He joined the army for training at 18 and then went to Afghanistan when Leannaw as 11 and he was 22. He's 24 now and Leanna's 13. Sorry it's all a bit confusing!**

**-OOh and should i keep it in 3rd person or switch to 1st? At the moment im going to keep it in 3rd.**

**-Okay thanks to Cookie05 and JustMee who have reviewed most chapters.**

**-Also thanks to zl145, Jesspikapal, Will, SparkBomb'sFaith, Miss Emeralds, xrebelliouscinderella (btw love your username!), Cleo786, Charlotte, BizarrePineapple15, cas151, and Tictacs22**

**-And thanks to all those who favourited my fanfic and added it to story alert!**

**So please review answering my questions if you want to, and thanks all of you for reading my story! Strawberrymagic01 xxx**

**Preview of what's to come in Part 2:**

* * *

><p>Her phone was missing, again. It was the third time that week, since the Sapphire and Carmen had left Burnywood.. Swearing under her breath, Leanna stormed out of her room and into Lizanne's room. Sure, the girl had a habit of tricking people into giving her money, but she was Leanna's friend from school, and Leanna trusted her. "Liz, I need to borrow your phone again." She sighed, and the blonde girl passed it over, not looking up from her magazine.<p>

Leanna held the pink phone to her ear and crept around the care home, waiting to hear her ring tone. Luckily it wasn't on silent earlier that morning, so if the person who stole it was as stupid as she thought, they wouldn't have changed the settings. She stopped outside Tyler and Rick's room, wondering whether to search it or not. she decided against it, firstly because she only heard silence and secondly because she was on good terms with Tyler and Rick wasn't a thief. Dialling the number again, Leanna's heart jumped as she heard her ring tone float over to her ears. It was coming from Alfie's room.

Alfie was the worst kid you could ever want to get on the bad side of. With his shaved head and peirced ear he even looked kind of scary. He was 16 and the oldest care kid in the home, and was moving out in a couple of months. Leanna growled to herself, if he was in the room she would never get the phone back. So she opened the door as quietly as she could, ready to leg it if he was there. Luckily he wasn't, and she proceeded into his room and grimaced at the state of it. Clothes everywhere, food scattered about, even though the policy in Burnywood was no eating in rooms, and that they should be kept tidy. The care workers were probably scared of him, even Dennis shrunk a little under Alfie's gaze.

Hearing the ring tone again, Leanna hurried over to the bedside table and pulled open the draw, smiling when she saw the familiar silver Nokia lying there, buzzing as it was being called. She hung up on Lizanne's phone and picking up hers. _Thank God..._ she thought to herself, feeling a lot more relaxed. Leanna scrolled through the texts from today, rolling her eyes at the unmentionable things that were sent to an unknown number. She turned around to leave, but almost banged into the figure that was standing behind her.

"Going somewhere?"

She gasped and stumbled backwards, almost falling onto the wall. Alfie's hard hand grabbed her wrist and he shoved her down, so she was half sitting, half lying on the floor against the wall. "Yeah, back to my room. With my phone." She said coldly, staring at him.

_First rule to surviving in a crappy place... never show you're scared._

"Nah, it's mine now." He hissed, pushing her down again. Leanna growled and kneed him somewhere men never want to be kneed- luckily she was wearing jeans. He stumbled back for a moment, his face screwed back in pain but regained himself in only a few seconds, which shocked Leanna. She bit her lip, wondering how she was going to get out of the room.

"What, not the first time then?" She sneered at him, and he stuck his middle finger up at her before his hand disappeared in his pocket. He approached her again, backing her up so he was towering over her. Then as quick as a flash, his hand reappeared from his pocket and Leanna didnt realise what was going on, until she felt the coldness of the metal blade press against her neck.

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><p>What do you think? So yay, time for:<p>

**A Girl Called Leanna, Part 2**


	13. Burnywood Blues

**~Chapter 13-Burnywood Blues~**

The lexus car smoothly glided to a halt outside a tall, grey house. Alicia turned around in her seat and smiled encouragingly at Leanna. "Alright Leanna, we're here." She said, opening the door. Leanna got out and looked up at the massive house, grimacing slightly. It didn't look as bad as everyone said, with a gravel front garden and flower pots leading to the front garden. Even though a few of them were smashed...

Alicia rushed ahead and knocked on the door, and then beckoned Leanna over._ Might as well make the most of this._ Leanna thought, pulling her suitcase out of the car after her and trudging towards her peppy social worker. The door opened slowly and a tall man with a cold face peered out, and he looked the two up and down before opening the door and letting them in. "Hello Dennis, this is Leanna." Alicia smiled, putting an arm around Leanna's shoulder. Leanna fidgeted uncomfortably, and moved away from Alicia. Dennis just nodded curtly and lead Alicia to the office. Leanna followed, but Dennis turned around and roughly pushed her in the direction of the kitchen.

"The kids are in there, eating lunch. Go and introduce yourself, and then I'll come and explain everything to you." He told her, and she nodded and handed Alicia her suitcase. The door closed in her face and she just heard the beginning of their conversation before she headed off.

_"Well, apparently she's trouble. Had a history of stealing." _

Leanna raised her eyebrows, noticing that every cupboard and drawer seemed to have a lock on it. It wasn't the most attractive house inside, with boring brown carpets and cream walls. There were no photos or decorations, just shelves with books or more cupboards with locks. It didn't seem like... a home. She passed some doors, each one closed with a sign indicating what room it was and what times it was allowed to be used. Finally she began to hear some chatter, and walked towards it.

The kitchen was just as she thought, boring colours with a massive table and many, many cupboards and a fridge with locks on it. The children were sat at the large table in the middle of the room, munching on their tuna sandwiches. A care worker was mopping the floor, every now and then yelling at the kids to shut up. Leanna bit her lip and stepped into the room, and immediately it went completely silent.

"Oi Lucy, who's the new girl?" One boy asked, he had a curly mop of hair and a cheeky grin. The care worker stopped what she was doing and strolled over to Leanna.

"Oh, you must be Leanna." She said simply, and then turned to the kids. "Right you lot, introduce yourselves!" She ordered. One by one the kids introduced themselves, and half of the names went in one ear and out the other within a few minutes.

"I'm Tyler." The boy who had asked about her said, grinning cheekily again. Next to him sat a boy of about 16, who just stared at her, no expression in his eyes. He was Alfie. Then there was Flora, Michelle and Amy, twins who all had blonde hair and bright blue eyes. They didn't seem very friendly, and just stated their names and went back to whispering each other.

There was Rick, a boy with floppy brown hair of about Leanna's age, Joseph, a seven year old boy with black hair that stuck up at all angles. Charlotte, a fifteen year old girl with messy brown hair and a dangerous look about her. Isabella and Isaac, siblings who looked nothing alike, except for their startling eyes which were an extremely light shade of green.

There was Brandon, a nine year old who looked like he thought he was hard, Jem, a good looking boy around thirteen who had wispy blonde hair and dreamy eyes. And lastly Lizanne, a girl with flowing blonde hair and a pretty face. A face that Leanna remembered.

"Lizanne!" She gasped, and the girl cringed, but smiled too. The two of them were friends from school, but Lizanne had always told everyone that she had a perfect mother who bought her such nice stuff. Leanna would have never known she was in care.

"Hey Leanna. I Guess we find out new things everyday." She said, smiling sweetly and winking at Isaac. Lucy ushered her to a seat at the table next to Lizanne, and gave her a plate with a tuna sandwich on it.

* * *

><p>"Hi Leanna!" Tee's cheerful voice rang through the phone. Leanna grinned and lay back on her bed, and drew imaginary patterns in the wall with her purple striped socks. "How are you? What's it like at Burnywood?" She was bombarded with questions and Leanna waited until the excited girl was finished.<p>

"Hey Tee. I'm alright, how are you and the others? It's okay here... I'm getting used to it." She began.

"We're all good. Oh... I think you'll be okay. You have to come over soon, I've made you something!"

"That's great, I guess I'll come over sometime this week, if Dennis will let me. How's my stuff?" Leanna asked, her drawing and her statue popping into her mind.

"Be quiet Liam, I'll let you talk in a minute! Sorry Leanna. Its fine, do you want me to keep it for a while?" Leanna replied a yes, and then laughed as there was the sound of scuffling and then the voice on the phone changed.

"A'ight, Leanna?" The familiar voice of Liam floated down the phone to her ear. She grinned again.

"Hey Liam. What you doing today?"

"We're going to the beach! D'you wanna come? I'll ask Mike!" Before she even had a chance to reply the phone was handed to someone else, and the sound of Liams footsteps running off were heard.

"Hello?"

"Hi Leanna..." It was Frank, now.

"Hey Frank... You excited for the beach today?" Leanna asked, imagining what they would do there. She'd been to the beach before, when she was really small. The only memory she had was toddling down the pier, with her Dad holding her chubby little hands. And even that memory was disappearing quickly.

With the Elm Tree House kids she'd have a great time, nothing was ever boring around them. But would Dennis let her go? In the four days she'd been there, she'd learnt that you only went out alone if you were over twelve, you had to be back by five o'clock on the dot and they had to know exactly where you were going.

"Yeah, can't wait! Me n' Liam have got a plan, its gonna be so funny!" Frank laughed, and went silent for a moment. "Mike says you can come if you want, and Sapphire says hi."

Leanna grinned once again, and jumped up off of her bed. "I'll go ask Dennis and call you back, a'ight?" She said, before hanging up and dropping her phone on the bed before skipping out of the room.

Burnywood wasn't too bad so far. She knew that it was best to keep up a reputation, so she covered for Charlotte when she came back past her curfew, she told little Joseph stories and looked out for him, and she made conversation with the triplets, she helped Tyler with his pranks and kept out of Alfie's way. She had called the care worker called Lucy a bitch when Lucy had refused to let her buy materials for her art because 'she might decorate her room', but other than that she kept her head down.

Dennis was sitting in his chair in the office, chewing the end of a pencil while staring at a file. Leanna coughed loudly to get his attention and when he looked up at her she began to speak. "Umm Dennis... my friends from Elm Tree are going to the beach today and invited me along, can I go please?" She asked, smiling sweetly. Dennis gave her a hard stare and went back to looking at the file. "I'll do the washing up for a week." Leanna improvised.

Dennis sighed in annoyance and sat up. "No, you can't go." He said firmly, and then swung round to face his desk.

"...but I-"

"No, and that's final." He growled, and Leanna stuck her middle finger up at his back before storming out of the office and back up to her room. She passed Lizanne on the way who gave her a sympathetic look.

"Dennis being a dickhead again?" She asked, pulling a comb through her thick locks. Leanna grimaced and nodded, and carried on to her room. She was sharing with Isabella, and they weren't allowed to decorate. It just had plain white walls and a cream carpet, with their beds in either corner and their stuff scattered around.

She flung the door open, and flopped down onto her bed, fuming with anger. Why couldn't she go? It's not like she'd done anything terrible and had been grounded. And plus, it was just with another care home and there would be adults. Liam and Frank were right, it was a prison. Pulling her messy hair into a high side pony tail, Leanna's eyes searched her bed for her phone. She was sure she had chucked it on there. Just incase, she checked under her bed and on her bedside table. Isabella entered, wearing black skinny jeans, a red ripped shirt and a black bracelet.

"Isabella, 'ave you seen my phone?" She asked, sitting up. The eleven year old girl looked at her, and shrugged.

"No, I've only just come in here." She had a strong European accent that Leanna couldn't place.

"Oh." She searched around her bed, and then a piece of paper caught her attention. She picked it up and was about to throw it away but she realised it had writing. She read it quickly, not really bothering to take in the words. Then she re-read it, realising what it said.

_Thought you'd know better than to leave your stuff lying around. Cheers for the phone, you aint getting it back._

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><p><strong>AN Thanks to my lovely reviewers who gave me suggestions and stuff :) Hope you like this chapter, read and review please! :)**


	14. Phone Fright

**A/N: Sorry for all the language in this fanfic, hehe:') thanks to the reviewers! When I get there, I will. I'll try to catch up to the series faster :D Thanks for the suggestions and stuff. So hope you like this chappie and review please, it makes my day :)**

**Phone Fright**

"Son of a bitch."

Leanna crumpled the note and chucked it into the bin, her face the picture of pure rage. Isabella glanced up from her laptop at raised her eyebrows at Leanna. "Whats got your knickers in a twist?" She teased, smirking.

"Shu'up. Someone's nicked my phone. Know who would do it?" Leanna asked, rolling her eyes at the annoying eleven year old.

Isabella sat up, moved from the desk to the bed and lay down, putting the laptop in front of her. The last people who had fostered Isaac and Isabella had been a middle aged couple who thought they weren't able to have children and a few months in to fostering the siblings they found out that the wife was pregnant with twins. Isabella and Isaac pretended they didn't care, but Lizanne had told Leanna that Isabella had cried that night, when she thought nobody was around. But on the bright side they had given them expensive things out of pity, like the laptop for Isabella and the latest Iphone for Isaac. "Anyone, Leanna! You know what they're like here. Bloody miracle that my laptop is still here. But I ain't done it, promise!"  
>Leanna sighed and nodded, and left the room in a hurry. Nobody would steal from her and get away with it.<p>

Half of the residents were in the living room, making use of it before it was closed later. Leanna stormed in, her eyes surveying everyone in the room. Flora, Michelle, Tyler, Brandon, Isaac, Lizanne and Rick. It could have been any of them. Lizanne looked up, straightening her hair at the same time. Damn, she was a pro at that. "Alright, Leanna?" She asked, looking concerned. Leanna walked further in and crossed her arms.

"Right, which one of you idiots nicked my phone?" she said loudly, and they all stopped what they were doing and turned around. Lizanne looked shocked, and Flora and Michelle looked at eachother before whispering quietly. Tyler gave his signature cheeky grin and stood up.

"I didn't take it." He told her, strolling over. "But the ones that I'd suspect are them two." He grinned, winking at her and pointing at Flora and Michelle, who rolled their eyes and pranced out of the room, flicking their blonde hair. "Just joking, they're wimps."

"Oi, shu'up you little git." Leanna laughed, pushing him slightly. But then she looked serious again, and stormed up to Isaac and Brandon. "A'right, was it yous?" She demanded, blocking their view of the TV which was showing their X-box game. Brandon threw his arms up in annoyance and frowned at her.

"What'd you do that for? I just died!" He yelled, tensing his fists and raising off of the sofa. Isaac pulled him down and used his leg to move Leanna away.

"What do you want, Leanna?" He asked calmly, staring at the screen again. Leanna took a deep breath, calming herself.

"Do you know who nicked my phone?" She asked again, her voice quieter. Both boys shook their heads, staring at the TV. "Well if any of yous did, you'll be sorry when I find out." She threatened, and turned to leave, when Rick grabbed her arm. She turned around to face him, with a stony face. "What?"

He looked at the two boys next to him and then at Tyler and Lizanne, and then raised so he was standing next to her. "silver Nokia?" Leanna nodded. "I know where it is." He said quietly, and left the room and Leanna followed him. He walked up the stairs and down the landing, towards the room where the clothes were ironed and washed. He opened the door and pointed to the phone which was laying in the corner of the window sill. Leanna ran over and picked it up, running her hands over it and turning it on to check it was still working.

"Cheers. When I find out who nicked it I'll-"

"I know who stole it." Rick cut in, his face had no expression at all. Leanna stopped and turned to look at him, confused.

"What?"

"Like I said, I know who stole it." he repeated, shoving his hands in his pockets. Rick was quite a unsociable person. He only got along with Tyler and tended to keep to himself, saying that he doesn't need friends, and his parents would come and get him soon anyway, once they'd gotten out of prison. So how come he knew this... well, the quieter ones were always more observant.

"So who took it then... how'd you know?" Leanna asked, checking the calls and messages on the phone.

Rick gazed at her lazily, and then turned to leave. "You learn some things when your parents are scammers. And I'm not a snitch." He said calmly, and with that he walked off, leaving a bewildered Leanna staring after him.

Dennis stormed in, a pile of laundry in his hands. He stopped when he saw Leanna standing there, and frowned at her. "What are you doing in here?" He asked, impatient.

"Someone nicked my phone." Leanna said, gasping and regretting it instantly. She hadn't meant to say that. Dennis looked at the phone in her hands and dumped the clothes in the tumble dryer.

"Its in your hands, you stupid girl." He said.

Leanna cringed, at the fact that it was too, but at the fact that someone did steal it and he didn't believe her. "No, I just found it." She said simply, biting her tongue to not insult him back. He shook his head and rolled his eyes at her, and left the room. Ugh, how she hated Dennis.

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><p>Lizanne pulled the straightner through her silky blonde locks one more time before switching it off and leaving it on the desk. "So tell me again, the messages on your phone are about some money and mention you?" She asked, her arched eyebrows furrowing. Leanna nodded, lounging on the bed. She chucked her phone to Lizanne who caught it and opened the inbox page.<p>

"Yeah, look for yourself. Whoever took my phone has some connection with me, to do with money." Leanna said, painting the last nail with a slick of aqua blue nail polish. The scars on her arm where the bottle had smashed were fading slightly, but she knew they'd be permenant. Before Leanna came to Burnywood, Mike had insisted she went to a A&E to get it properly cleaned and bandaged. Toby was very reassured at that, which made Leanna giggle. It had been five days since Leanna's phone had been found, so it was her second week in Burnywood. Lizanne looked sympathetic and threw the phone back, her eyes filled with worry.

"Well do you owe anyone money? To be honest any of the people here could be the person. Well except Joseph."

Leanna frowned, thinking about it. Then she nodded, sighing. "Yeah, I do. When things got hard I used to borrow money off this girl called Jane, she was in this gang, you see."

"Oh... well did you pay her back?"

"Sometimes... I don't keep track because she doesn't always remind me that I owe her. And whats worse is that its not always her own money, it could be anyones..." Leanna sighed, raking a hand through her hair in fustration. She picked up her phone and scrolled through the messages again, biting her lip. The phone buzzed and a new message popped up. She read it quickly, her blood going cold.

_To: Leanna  
>From: Unknown Number<em>

_We'll give her a couple more weeks._

_If she don't pay it back,_

_either her or her bro when he gets back will have a little surprise..._

_and they won't like it._

**Ooooh, creepy person. reviewww :D**


	15. Money Issues

**Money Issues**

Four days had passed since the phone incident, and Leanna had ever since tried to collect up enough money. It was difficult, you only got money in Burnywood if you did chores and chores weren't the most fun things to do, but Leanna was desperate for this money and did them, she had to keep her brother safe. She had even resorted to slowly taking small notes from the triplets, who kept a stash of savings under their beds for their make up, which they had tons of. She felt slightly bad but she was taking it for a better cause, and anyway, natural looks were always better.

It was colder than usual, that lunch time when the kids sat around the table, eating their dull tuna sandwiches. No one was really talking, Leanna could tell it wasn't going to be a good day.

Tyler had taken to following Alfie around, even though Alfie had told the 10 year old numerous times to go away. But Alfie had a slight soft spot for Tyler, under all the "hardness" and toughness. They had known each other before Tyler had ended up in care and when he was new, Alfie had stuck up for him. That particular day though, Tyler had been in an especially bad mood and was snapping at everyone, his usual cheery and jokey mood was gone.

"Lucy, can we have crisps please?" A little voice piped up in the silent room. Lucy looked up from her news paper and sighed.

"Joseph, you know the rules. unhealthy food like crisps are only allowed on Saturdays." She droned, and went back to reading. The little seven year old pouted and folded his arms in annoyance. He opened his mouth to complain but Charlotte shook her head at him. Their relationship was a bit like Sapphire and Harry, but Charlotte wasn't as motherly and only looked out for him, but good luck to anyone who gave Joseph trouble, as Charlotte was one of the violent kids.

As soon as the washing up was done, the kids left the kitchen and half of them went to the living room. Leanna flopped down on the sofa and turned on the TV, and flipped through the channels. Her eyes were focused on the telly, but her mind was else where, figuring out how to get more money. Her thinking was interrupted when Tyler stormed into the room, kicking Joseph's lego house to pieces, and pushing past Michelle and Flora. "You broke my house!" Joseph cried, standing up.

"It weren't a house, it was a pile of crap." Tyler snapped, pushing Joseph away. Leanna walked over then, she didn't want Tyler to get in trouble with Charlotte.

"Look Tyler, what's going on?" She started.

"none of your business! It's got nothing to do with you!" He cried, his eyes welling up but he refused to cry, he had to keep his reputation up or else he would get picked on by everyone.

"I know it ain't my business! Look, don't take it out on us, alright?" She reasoned, but he shook his head and pushed a pile of books off of the sofa and onto the floor.

"Leanna make him stop, he's being mean!" Joseph whined, tugging on Leanna's shirt sleeve. Leanna took Tyler's arm to lead him out of the room before he could do anything else, but he pulled away, causing her to stumble back and her arm to hit Joseph in the face.

Right when Charlotte walked in the room.

Joseph burst out crying and ran over to Charlotte, who's face looked like thunder. "Oi, what's going on here?" She growled, staring at Tyler and Leanna, who stood sheepishly by the sofa. She moved Joseph away, stroking his hair and stormed over to the pair. Tyler gulped and ducked round her, and sprinted out of the room. "I said, what's going on?" Charlotte repeated, and Leanna mentally cursed Tyler for ditching her.

"It was an accident." Leanna told her, folding her arms. Charlotte shook her head, smirking.

"Yeah? Well Joseph never said it was." She pushed Leanna, who stood her ground. The other kids had gone silent and were watching intently, waiting for something to happen.

leanna rolled her eyes. "He never said nothing." At that moment, Joseph was standing by the door, sucking his thumb and rubbing his sore head.

"i don't care. You hurt him, you pay. Hah, thought you were an alright kid. That you'd know better than to mess with Joseph." Charlotte spat, pushing Leanna again, who fell back onto the sofa. "You're just a little shit like the rest." She raised her arm to punch her, and Leanna immediately protected her head with her arms and brought her knees to her chest, her heart thumping. She knew that Charlotte had the upper hand and it was better just to protect her self.

Charlottes fist connected with her leg, and Leanna kicked out suddenly, throwing Charlotte of her and giving her a chance to get up. "Yeah? Well I think you should take a look at yourself, all you do is go around beating people up!" She yelled, and Charlotte took that moment to jump back up and push Leanna to the floor.

Leanna winced as she felt her head bang against the cold wood, and then suddenly the air was being strangled out of her as Charlotte grabbed her by the neck. "I'll teach you to mess with me." Charlotte hissed in her ear, and threw her head back down. Little sparkly stars began to float in front of Leanna's vision and she struggled against Charlotte for breath. The room started spinning slightly and Leanna weakly lifted her arm and slapped her right across the face, making Charlotte let go in surprise and bring her hand to her bright red cheek.

The other kids in the room were cheering them on, jumping out of the way every now and again. Little Joseph stood cowering in a corner, ready to run if necessary.

"You idiot, do you really think you can stop me that easily? Huh, you're just a stupid little thief who's brother ditched her 'cos he hated looking after her!" Charlotte yelled, getting up and charging at Leanna who was getting to her feet, whilst trying to get her breath back. She grabbed Leanna's shirt and pushed her against the wall, but at that moment Leanna registered what Charlotte had just said.

"What would you know? He never ditched me! He was getting us money!" She screamed, pulling a handful of Charlottes messy brown hair as hard as she could, and kicking her shins. Charlotte yelled abuse back and managed to punch Leanna in the face. It came as a shock and Leanna paused for a moment, feeling blood trickle down her chin from her newly cut lip. Then the rage came back and she shoved Charlotte as hard as she could, and the older girl tripped over her own vans and crashed onto the sofa.

"Oi!" Dennis' loud voice made all the kids freeze, and Leanna spun around to see Dennis at the door, his brows furrowed in anger. "Leannabeth Smith, come with me!" He shouted, grabbing her by the arm and dragging her out of the room. The children watched in surprise, not saying anything.

"Charlotte started it! It weren't my fault! You can ask them if you want!" Leanna shouted, pulling away as Dennis dragged her up the stairs. His grip around her wrist was cutting off the blood circulation in her hand and her lip needed cleaning up, and blood was dripping onto her white shirt.

"You stupid girl, when will you learn? There are punishments here!" He growled at her, pulling her through the landing and up another flight of stairs. They then went past the remaining bedrooms and Dennis stopped outside a heavy door. He pulled out a large key from his jeans pocket and unlocked the padlock, and pushed the door open. There were more stairs, and he pulled her up them until they got to the top. "Right, you're staying here until your bed time." He hissed, and stormed back down the stairs.

"What about dinner?" Leanna called after him, and began to follow him down.

"You're not getting any." He shouted, slamming the door shut. Leanna threw herself against it, hearing the click of the lock. It was no use and she fell back onto the stairs, a horrible pain shooting through her arm. So this was her punishment for defending herself, being locked in the attic. And she knew nothing would happen to Charlotte. She would just lie and get away with it, while Leanna had to deal with everything. She pushed her hair out of her face and trudged back up the stairs, and took a proper look around.

It was dark, but there was a dim light coming through the two arched windows either side of the attic. There were labeled boxes everywhere, some with the names of kids on and others with random pieces of furniture in them, like lampshades and a bookshelf that had been taken apart. Dust covered everything, but there was an old, grey sofa that wasn't dirty, it seemed that the attic was used as a punishment often. Feeling slightly curious, Leanna lifted one of the boxes that was labeled with a name and carried it to the window. She sat on the window sill and opened it, wondering what was inside.

"Sapphire, Jeff's scared." Sapphire winced when she heard Harry's little voice in the back of the mini-van. He was curled up on one of the chairs and had his face buried in Jeff's fur. She turned back from leaving the van and extended a hand to him, smiling encouragingly.

"Don't worry Harry, I'll look after you." She said softly, as he took her hand and she guided him out of the van. Carmen squinted up at the house that loomed over them, clutching at her bags. Elm Tree House had been closed after Lily had fallen off of the roof, and the kids had to go to temporary places while the council settled what should happen with the care home. the budget cuts had lead to the kids trying various ideas to keep Elm Tree House open, ending with Tracy's shouting on the roof and Lily falling off and ending up in hospital. Now they had all been separated, with no clue on whether they would ever go back to Elm Tree or not.

"It's so... dark." Carmen commented, grimacing. She picked up the bags and followed the social worker who was already at the door, talking to Dennis. "Wait a second." Carmen gasped, staring up at the top floor windows. "Sapph, is that Leanna?" She asked, seeing a girl with black wavy hair that cascaded down her back, wearing a white button up shirt and a pair of high waisted jeans sitting at the window, reading a piece of paper. Sapphire nodded, smiling a little. Atleast they knew someone. "But why's she in the attic?" Carmen questioned. This was answered by Dennis.

"Because she doesn't obey rules, and those who don't obey rules get punished." He said, a cold look on his face. Carmen gulped, and looked at her feet, while Harry hid his face. "Alright you three, come inside. Carmen you'll be sharing with Sapphire in one of the spare bedrooms and Harry will be with Joseph." Dennis told them, guiding them inside.

_Tia Kidston_

_At Burnywood from 20th November until 14th September._

_Left at 16, lives in a flat near the town centre._

_Things she left behind, in this box:_

_-Jewelry box containing diamond necklace, ear rings and bead bracelet_

_-3 pair of jeans _

_-diary_

_-£100_

"Oh my gosh." Leanna whispered, ignoring the dull throbbing coming from her lip and bruises. She opened the cardboard box slowly, not really knowing whether what she had just read was true. But sure enough, in a white, old envelope was a wad of bills that equaled to £100. Almost sqealing in delight, she opened the jewelry box and pulled out the diamond necklace, her heart beating fast.

Sure, it was stealing, but this Tia person wasn't exactly coming back, was she? And this stuff she had left, it seemed to be quite old. Pocketing the necklace and the money, Leanna leapt up off of the window sill and shoved the box back into the corner. How could she get out and find Jane? She could just wait until Monday and give it to her at school. But no, this was urgent, it was about her and her brother's safety.

So she fumbled about, checking both windows for locks. Bingo, the one she had been at had the padlock taken away, and it was just a latch that she could easily break. Then she just had to get to the ground, and that was the tricky part. She was used to getting out of her own house, but that was only two floors and there was a patio roof below her window. Here, she could just slip, and she would fall to possible death.

Taking a deep breath, she leant over the edge to see how she could get down. There was a pipe that ran down the side, once she had got to that she would be okay. So she tried to stop her hands from shaking and climbed out onto the edge of the window, doing her best not to look down.

Tia Kidston, she hadn't realised, was her brothers girlfriend.

**A/N: Yay, long chapter :D Im loving series 3 so far, how about you lot? Can't wait until my story catches up with it :D Hope you like this chapter, read and review please :)**


	16. Plan Pandemonium

**A/N: Hey guys :) hope you like this chapter, might be not that good as I'm quite tired and jet lagged haha :D Tell me what you think!**

**Plan Pandemonium**

Jane wasn't anywhere to be found. It was Saturday so there was no school and the park next to the school grounds was deserted. Leanna grumbled to herself, wishing she had brought a coat a long. She had been searching for two hours, and had even gone down the street she used to live. She knew that her dad was probably wasted and there was hardly a chance that he would see her, but she still was on edge and ready to run the second she needed to.

Breathing out in annoyance, she began the trudge home. She could always just keep the money until school, but then knowing Burnywood it could get stolen in only a matter of days. But she had to take the risk to keep her brother safe, if he ever came back. The next problem, she realised, was trying to get back up to the attic before Dennis found out she was gone. She didn't have her phone so she couldn't call Lizanne and get her help, so what could she do? Only Liam seemed to be able to climb up to windows and Leanna found it hard enough to get down.

Leanna turned the corner and stood by the towering wall that hid Burnywood from the world. She crept to the side gate and climbed over it, landing with a thump on the other side. She stood up and almost crashed into someone standing right in front of her. "Watch it." She growled, feeling slightly relieved when the person appeared to be Jem and not Dennis. He chuckled and helped her up, and then folded his arms as if wanting an explanation. "Alright alright, I had some stuff to sort out. Now, where's Dennis? I need to get back up to the attic before he finds out I'm gone." She told him.

"Dennis is giving Tyler hell right now, you're in luck." Jem said. Leanna then realised that it was the first time she had ever heard him talk, apart from when he said his name on her first day of course. He even had that type of voice to go with his good looks. Eh, but he was nice enough.

"Right, how am I getting back in?" She asked. Jem chuckled again, and raked his fingers through his sandy blonde hair.

"Well, they're in Tyler's room. We can get you up to your room, but I dunno how you're gonna get up to the third floor then the attic, Tyler's room is next to the stairs." Jem explained, gesturing to the windows. Leanna nodded, and they snuck into the deserted kitchen.

"We're not s'posed to be here..." Leanna whispered, glancing at times that were plastered onto the wall. It was unusually quiet in the care home, a sign that something was going to happen. The pair made it to the stairs, and Leanna gulped, from there they could hear loud and clear the noise from Tyler's room. Dennis was shouting his head off, if Leanna were there she would probably see an angry ape going mental. Poor Tyler, it wasn't a good day for him. Well, he deserved to be shouted at anyway, he had ditched Leanna with Charlotte. Jem ran up the stairs and checked that the coast was clear, and when he waved her up she followed him into her and Isabelle's room.

"Alright guys? Looking for some privacy? Sorry this rooms taken. Go find somewhere else please." Isabelle laughed, but she stopped and her eyes widened when she saw Leanna. "Wait... you're supposed to be in the attic, if Dennis catches you out you're dead! Speaking of the attic how did you get out?" She questioned, getting up and shutting the door. Leanna grinned and sat down on the bed, while Jem flopped onto the desk chair.

"Long story. Anyway do you know how we can get up to the attic? I don't really think it will be any good if I get in anymore trouble." Leanna told her, checking her phone and then hiding it back under the mattress again. It was okay around Jem and Isabelle, they weren't thieves. Well, from what she heard. Isabelle grinned mischieviously and stroked her chin as if she had a beard.  
>"Well, I do have a plan. But it's very... odd."<p>

* * *

><p>"DENNIS!"<p>

The sound of Dennis thundering down the stairs was heard, and then he burst into the living room. "What?" He cried, staring at Joseph who sat next to Harry.

"Harry left Jeff in the office when he came." Joseph stated, blinking nervously. Dennis rolled his eyes and shook his head.

"You made me come here, to tell me that? What is Jeff, anyway?" He yelled, storming up to the two young children and towering over them. Harry and Joseph shrunk under his gaze, until Sapphire sauntered in. She leant against the plain white wall and sniggered. Dennis turned around and growled at her. "What are you smirking about,_ Sapphire_?"

"Harry can't sleep without his giraffe, Jeff. I think you should let him look for it." She simply stated, sniggering again when Dennis took a deep breath to calm himself down.

"Alright then." He growled, and stormed out of the room and into the office, with Joseph, Harry and Sapphire following. It was quite a boring office, not filled to the brim with everything, but neatly ordered in an annoying way, with no touch of creativity or anything. Sapphire grimaced as she walked in, muttering to herself how the place could use a bit of colour. "Look, I don't know where it is. Be quick about this." Dennis told them, checking under the desk.

"DENNIS!"

"What the-" Dennis stopped himself from cursing quickly, but his face looked like thunder as he turned to the three kids behind him. "Find the toy, and when you have, get out." He instructed them, before storming out of the room and going to the source of the yell.

"Perfect." Sapphire grinned, and started searching through the cupboard that contained all the keys.

"Okay, what do you kids want?" Dennis grumbled, reaching the top of the stairs. With Lucy out buying food and the other care worker Manisha at a meeting, Dennis was the only one in the house at that time. He had just come back up to the stairs to find half of the kids crowded into the hallway. Isabelle stepped forwards, smiling angelically.

"The second floor toilet is blocked up and overflowed." She said, still smiling, as Dennis' face went from annoyed, to confused, to absolutely angry.

"WHAT?" He yelled, pushing past Isabelle and going towards the toilet at the end of the corridor.

"Oh, and half of our laundry is soaked from the toilet. Dunno who did it though." She added, giggling.

Leanna peeped out from her bedroom, to see the kids watching as Dennis tried to stop the overflowing toilet while yelling abuse. She smiled, amused, before remembering what she had to do. While he faced the other way, Leanna sprinted from her room to the stairs, and then to the stairs that lead to the attic. Sapphire stood there with Harry, who had Jeff in his hand. Sapphire handed her the key, grinning.

"How'd you get Jeff in the office? Oh and great to see you guys, I heard Carmen's here too. Shame about Elm Tree though. Thanks for helping as well, I appreciate it." Leanna went on, as she unlocked the door in a hurry. Sapphire laughed at Leanna as she rushed her words, and then answered once she was finished.

"Yeah, she's here. I know, hope they open it again so we can get out of this dump. You're welcome, its good to see you're up to no good as usual!"

Jeff smiled up at Leanna, and nodded Jeff's head as he made him talk. "Jeff went in through the window." He said.

* * *

><p>"I really need to talk to Lily. I mean, she could be dying! I just really need to see her." Carmen gabbled, as she, Sapphire and Leanna made their way to her room. Leanna and Sapphire raised their eyebrows at each other, they knew that Lily only had a few grazes and broken bones, so did Carmen but being herself she was bound do over-react. But how boring life would be without a drama queen, and they had Carmen for that. She swung open the door, and stopped dead when she realised someone was already in her room. "Oh hi! I'm Carmen." She said, sticking out her hand to shake.<p>

The boy just smirked at her, finding it amusing how she was so unaware of what he was doing. Ignoring her outstretched hand, he stuffed her phone into his pocket and waving a cheeky goodbye, sauntered out of the room. "Eerr Carmen... he just nicked your stuff." Sapphire pointed out, and Carmen's face went from friendly and cheerful to shocked and angry.

_Oh God. _Leanna thought. The boy had been Tyler, and he was still really moody and unpredictable, three days after the incident with Charlotte. Charlotte had gone to live with her Dad, who had gained control of his drinking problem. This was great for Leanna and anyone else the older girl terrorized, but not too good for Joseph who was now vulnerable with no one to protect him.

Carmen opened all her drawers, saying out loud the things that were missing. "That little idiot!" She yelled, flicking her silky hair back. "What do I do now?" She whined, sitting down on her bed and cradling her head with her hands.

"You get it back of course." Sapphire said, opening the door and gesturing for her to go and follow Tyler. Carmen hesitated, but when she realised that without her phone she couldn't talk to Lily, she stormed out, gathering her courage.

"Excuse me, can I have my stuff back please?"

Tyler snorted, and looked up from the game he was playing on the pink studded phone. Carmen stood at the door of the living room, a nervous look on her face. A couple of feet behind her stood Leanna and Sapphire. "How about...no." He replied, laughing at his comeback and returning to his game. Leanna looked worriedly at Sapphire, noticing that Alfie was in the room, lounging on a chair lazily.

Carmen fidgeted awkwardly by the door for a moment, before slowly walking up to the young boy. "Look, I just want my stuff back, my best friend is in hospital and I need to call her." Carmen tried again, reaching out for the phone.

Tyler snapped it shut and moved it away from her reach, smirking nastily. "Aww, what a shame. Too bad it's mine now." He spat, getting up and moving around the other side of the sofa. Carmen winced but her eyes lit up when Dennis came into the room.

"Dennis, could you get Tyler to give me back my stuff please? I need it." She asked politely, but Dennis just laughed at her and walked out, shaking his head.

That was when Alfie got involved. "Oi, were you snitching on my mate?" He threatened, getting up and sauntering over to Carmen. She gulped quietly and shook her head. "What, ain't speaking is it? Well, I heard you grass on him." He spat.

Leanna and Sapphire both gave each other a worried look again, and stepped into the room. "Look, guys it's no big deal, atleast give her the phone back." Leanna tried reasoning, but Tyler shook his head and Alfie just clicked his teeth. Sapphire also tried to intervine, but to no avail.

"I don't want you ever bothering Tyler again, a'ight?" Alfie threatened, and then turned to Leanna and Sapphire. "And I don't think you should get yourself into this, Leanna." His eyes flashed with something that Leanna couldn't work out, and she shivered and looked away hastily. "Right. Not so big, are you now, little girl." He said to Carmen, who took a deep breath.

"You know, you don't need to act hard in front of us. We're all care kids here." She said. Big mistake. Leanna thought, mentally face palming. Alfie was almost done, but she had just made a simple thing ten times worse. But before Leanna could do anything, Alfie raised his clenched fist and slammed it into her face.

"Oi!" Sapphire cried, running forwards and dropping to her knees in front of Carmen, who sat on the floor, crying into her hands. Leanna stood their, shocked as Alfie left the room, pushing past Leanna and laughing. Tyler sat at the sofa, also looking shocked. He got to his feet and ran out, as if he was on the verge of tears.

**A/N: Who's your guys' favourite characters from the show? Mine have to be Liam, (he's fit :3) Tyler, (He's hilarious) and Tee (she's adorable:)) make my day, review! :)**


	17. A Turn of Events

**A/N: Purplerabbit11 and Snowgirll, I used your two characters you submitted to my other story "They Say Burnywood is Hell" In this one, is that okay? I'll remove it if you're not okay with it.**

**Yeah you know what to do, read and review! hehe :D**

**A Turn of Events**

The week went quite fast. Soon enough Sapphire, Harry and Carmen went back to Elm Tree House, as it had been re-opened. Carmen never got her stuff back, and Tyler kept out of their way. She had left different to how she had been when she came, she wasn't the friendly, bubbly Carmen anymore she was now toughened up and not afraid to say what she felt. Leanna didn't really care about this change, to be honest. She was glad Carmen had grown up a bit, you can't live life in an area like this, going around asking people if they like pink. You're more likely to get a punch in the face than a yes or a no.

The very next day after they had left, two new arrivals came. Well not exactly new, they were just coming back. Imogen and Kitty. Kitty came back from a special home which was supposed to help her, but Tyler said she was no different. If you touched her she'd hurt you and she hardly talked at all. Imogen was nice, she'd been in Burnywood all her life, but Leanna had no idea how she could live through that. She had coppery hair and liked to read, which was the opposite of Leanna but they still got on well. That day her phone had gone missing again, but when she rang it she heard a familiar song that was on her phone chime from under the sofa. Whoever stole it thought they were clever and changed the ring tone, and Leanna still didn't know who it was.

The day after that was when Kia arrived. She also had been in care a long time, in Burnywood. She had long brown hair which she kept in a complicated plait, apparently called a fishtail plait Leanna found out. That same day they had some sort of councilor. That stupid care worker Lucy decided that everyone needed counseling, and Leanna had ended up filling out some sheet about her childhood and her friends. It failed though, after Rick stormed out and everyone soon followed. Yeah, Dennis punished them all but it was worth it, nobody wanted that too cheerful councilor around. That day Leo had returned, after being found. He had apparently tried to run away many times, but always gets caught. He was Tyler's older brother, and that was the reason Tyler was acting so strange- he was missing his brother.

It was the next day that really stood out in Leanna's mind. The day everything changed.

She had gone into Kia's room. She was actually searching for money, apparently Kia had been with a rich foster family so she must have had something expensive from them. Leanna did feel slightly bad, Kia was nice but it had to be done. Fortunately for Kia she was in the room, so Leanna just made up small talk while looking around. She had asked about getting into the safe, and Kia had said it was impossible, though Leanna thought she could do it.

The room was quite plain, but Kia had stuck up some posters and a few photo frames, but as far as she could see there was nothing expensive. So much for that, then.

Her phone was missing, again. It was the third time that month, since Harry, Sapphire and Carmen had left Burnywood.. Swearing under her breath, Leanna stormed out of her room and into Lizanne's room. Sure, the girl had a habit of tricking people into giving her money, but she was Leanna's friend from school, and Leanna trusted her. "Liz, I need to borrow your phone again." She sighed, and the blonde girl passed it over, not looking up from her magazine.

* * *

><p>"Dennis, can you sort out Leanna's phone problem? She's using up my credit and I need it." Lizanne groaned, leaning on the door frame of the office. Dennis looked up and sighed, shaking his head in annoyance.<p>

"In a minute Lizanne, go away I'm busy." He grumbled, and carried on with his paper work.

* * *

><p>Leanna held the pink phone to her ear and crept around the care home, waiting to hear her ring tone. Luckily it wasn't on silent earlier that morning, so if the person who stole it was as stupid as she thought, they wouldn't have changed the settings. She stopped outside Tyler and Rick's room, wondering whether to search it or not. she decided against it, firstly because she only heard silence and secondly because she was on good terms with Tyler and Rick wasn't a thief. Dialing the number again, Leanna's heart jumped as she heard her ring tone float over to her ears. It was coming from Alfie's room.<p>

Alfie was the worst kid you could ever want to get on the bad side of. With his shaved head and pierced ear he even looked kind of scary. He was 16 and the oldest care kid in the home, and was moving out in a couple of months. Leanna growled to herself, if he was in the room she would never get the phone back. So she opened the door as quietly as she could, ready to leg it if he was there. Luckily he wasn't, and she proceeded into his room and grimaced at the state of it. Clothes everywhere, food scattered about, even though the policy in Burnywood was no eating in rooms, and that they should be kept tidy. The care workers were probably scared of him, even Dennis shrunk a little under Alfie's gaze.

Hearing the ring tone again, Leanna hurried over to the bedside table and pulled open the draw, smiling when she saw the familiar silver Nokia lying there, buzzing as it was being called. She hung up on Lizanne's phone and picking up hers. _Thank God..._ she thought to herself, feeling a lot more relaxed. Leanna scrolled through the texts from today, rolling her eyes at the unmentionable things that were sent to an unknown number. She turned around to leave, but almost banged into the figure that was standing behind her.

"Going somewhere?"

She gasped and stumbled backwards, almost falling onto the wall. Alfie's hard hand grabbed her wrist and he shoved her down, so she was half sitting, half lying on the floor against the wall. "Yeah, back to my room. With my phone." She said coldly, staring at him.

_First rule to surviving in a crappy place... never show you're scared._

"Nah, it's mine now." He hissed, pushing her down again. Leanna growled and kneed him somewhere men never want to be kneed- luckily she was wearing jeans. He stumbled back for a moment, his face screwed back in pain but regained himself in only a few seconds, which shocked Leanna. She bit her lip, wondering how she was going to get out of the room.

"What, not the first time then?" She sneered at him, and he stuck his middle finger up at her before his hand disappeared in his pocket. He approached her again, backing her up so he was towering over her. Then as quick as a flash, his hand reappeared from his pocket and Leanna didn't realise what was going on, until she felt the coldness of the metal blade press against her neck. "Look you can 'ave the-"

"Shu'up or I'll use it." Alfie stopped her, tracing a line across her neck. "I don't want the phone, I want the money. If not, we can make this look like a simple, little accident..." He threatened, smirking. Leanna considered struggling against his grip to get out, but then there was the possibility that he would cut her or worse, she she stayed still, her heart beating fast against her rib cage.

"I'm getting the money." She whispered.

"What did I just say? Be quiet." Alfie searched her pockets, pulling out the diamond necklace and the wad of money. "Oh, I see you've been keeping it to yourself?" He said, his eyes gleaming as he looked at it. She resisted the urge to say something back and pressed herself against the wall, eyeing the blade.

"And what do you two think your doing?" A loud voice boomed, and Alfie jumped away from her in panic.

"Shit!" Leanna fell to the ground, cradling the side of her face, where Alfie's blade had struck when he moved away. It stung like crazy, and when she took her hand away it was soaked in crimson blood.

"She tried to kill herself with my pocket knife. I stopped her." Alfie explained, his face deadly serious. Dennis strode in, looking down at Alfie in suspicion. He walked over to Leanna, and nudged her with his knee.

"Is this true, Leannabeth?" He asked, picking up the knife that lay on the floor next to Leanna, dripping with her blood. She shook her head and then rested against the wall, stars dancing around in her vision. The blood was running down her face in streaks, standing out against her coal black hair. Alfie nodded quickly, and hurried over to Leanna. He picked her up by the arm and started leading her towards the door.

"It's true, I just came in here and tried to stop her. We need to get her to a hospital now." He instructed, glaring at Dennis who nodded and followed, still feeling disbelief.

Isabelle ran out onto the landing, her eyes wide. "Leanna! What happened? Oh my gosh, you're bleeding to death!" She gasped, running over. Dennis pushed her away, and shooed off the crowd of kids that formed on the landing. They pushed their way through and made their way down the stairs, which was quite slowly as Leanna could hardly tell where she was going.

Dennis cursed under his breath. "Look kids, just get out of the way!" He yelled, and that was the last thing Leanna heard before her eyes fluttered shut.

* * *

><p>"Look, we can't keep her here." Dennis' voice stood out over the other two voices, who were either protesting this or mumbling to themselves.<p>

"Oh my God."

Leanna sat up suddenly, her eyes shooting open. The three people turned around, and Lucy smiled at her gently. The other person was a doctor, who nodded to himself and walked over. "Ah, good you're up. We were just discussing your future, Dennis feels that you don't belong in Burnywood." He told her matter of factly, nodding as he spoke.

"What?" Leanna murmured, blinking slowly a couple of times. Her hand found its way to the left side of her face, and she shivered when she felt a large plaster covering the long cut that was there. "What happened?" She asked, getting used to her surroundings. She was in a hospital room, on one of those beds. The walls were a wierd yellow colour, and outside it was snowing.

"You tried to kill yourself, Alfie stopped you and now your here." Dennis explained coldly, and Lucy came and sat down next to her.

"You're lucky you didn't do much, it was just a cut. You lost a little bit of blood which is why you might feel dizzy and odd, but you'll be okay. I'm not sure about the scar though, you'll have to be careful, okay?" The doctor told her, checking his noteboard. Leanna squinted, confused. She was sure she hadn't tried to kill herself, she would never do that, no matter how bad things got.

"Right, I've made my mind up. She's too much trouble, its only been a month and she's been in fights, accused people of stealing and tried to kill herself. And don't think I don't know about the attic thing, not much gets past me." Dennis growled, crossing his arms. "She can't stay in Burnywood. That is final."

"So where will I go?" Leanna asked, biting her lip worriedly.

"Thats already been decided. You're going to Elm Tree House." Dennis told her.


	18. Back to Elm Tree

**A/N: Am I the only one who thinks that Liam's less bouncy and upbeat and jokey in the second and third series compaired to the first? Hmmm..**

**Back to Elm Tree**

Leanna slept most of the way to Elm Tree House. It was an hour drive and right across the other side of town, and plus she felt really tired, it probably had something to do with the cut. When they arrived she was awoken by the crunching of the tyers on the gravel, and sat up with a start. This was it, she was going to live in the same care home as her best friends; Liam, Frank and Tee. To be honest, it felt quite strange, the thought of living with them. And to make matters worse she was really nervous- It was as if the butterflies were actually eating at her stomach.

"Alright then, out you get!" Alicia coaxed, opening the door, Leanna's bags already in hand. "Are you excited? You should be. Elm Tree's a lovely care home." She babbled, and Leanna found herself blocking out her voice as she looked up at the big house, wondering which room she would have. Alicia grinned and skipped towards the door.

"Someone's eager..." Leanna said to herself, raising her eyebrows as she watched the middle aged woman skip towards the door, which was strange for a grown woman. When the door opened, Leanna realised why. Mike welcomed her in, and Alicia giggled girlishly and leant against the door frame, whilst twirling a lock of golden hair. "Oh that's rank!" Leanna grumbled, shaking her head and walking to the door.

"Welcome to Elm Tree House, Leanna! Or should I say, welcome back!" Mike grinned, taking Leanna's bags and showing her inside. Gina came around the corner, and smiled warmly at Leanna.

"Alright Leanna? The kids are waiting for you in the living room, we can sort out your room later, yeah?" Gina greeted, giving the girl a one-armed hug and then hurrying into the office. Taking a deep breath, Leanna straightened her self up and walked towards the living room, smiling slightly when she heard the usual shouting and talking coming from the busy room.

As soon as she entered, all fell silent. She looked around nervously, noticing all the usual faces, except Liam and Frank weren't there. "Leanna!" Tee cried, and engulfed Leanna in a huge bear hug. Leanna laughed, hugging the younger girl back. She had to admit, she had missed Tee. Gus walked up to her, notebook in his hand as usual.

"What's your name?" He asked, his face deadly serious even though everyone around him was giggling fondly at the boy.

"Gus... you already know my name." She said, grinning.

Gus looked frustrated for a second, and tapped his notebook with his pen. "I know, but I have your name in my visitors list and now you live here so I need your name on the residence list, and when a new person comes I always ask their name otherwise it's not the same and-" He told her, his voice getting higher and quicker as he went on.

"Aight, aight, I'm Leannabeth Smith. Happy?" She replied, holding back a laugh. He nodded, and turned the page.

"Since you're new I have to give you a tour, so your tour will be in two minutes and thirty seconds, so be ready." He confirmed, and sat down on the sofa, satisfied. Leanna took a deep breath and nodded, relieved that he was finished. The other residents quickly said hello and welcomed Leanna back, before it was time for Gus' tour. Tracy walked in, and waved at Leanna.

"Hi Leanna! Welcome back-" She began.

"Leanna! It's time for your tour!" Gus cried, jumping up and leading her out of the room by the wrist. Tracy watched in amusement before whispering something to Leanna.

"A quick tip, don't talk on his tour or write in his notebook. And he'll show you to your new room!" She whispered, grinning.

* * *

><p>That evening Leanna sat in her room, feeling happy and relaxed. Well not exactly her room- she was sharing with Tee, much to Johnny's distaste. She had decided she would decorate her half, once she had got more time. At that moment, Tee had painted part of the walls green and red in a stripy pattern, and it was the brightest thing to look at during the day, and even as it got dark the colours still seemed to burn Leanna's eyes! Leanna had a dressing table filled with her belongings, her make-up, art tools, the drawing of Josh and her statue stood proudly in the middle. At that moment Tee was stitching a design for a pillow, and Leanna was lounging on her bed, whilst reading a magazine.<p>

"Leanna!"

Two boys burst into the room and collapsed on the carpet, exhausted. "Frank? Liam? What happened?" Leanna asked, clambering off of the bed and walking over to the panting boys, who hugged her happily and then sat down. Frank still looked pretty much the same, he wore his black hoodie and he was a little taller, but Liam had grown up quite a lot in the space of a month and a half. He was still into his usual fashions, his either grey, black or pink polo shirt and a purple hoodie, but his face looked older and he was taller, and towered over Leanna by about a couple of inches.

The two of them explained what had happened, beginning with how Liam had sold Toby's comics thinking he wasn't coming back, to how everyone was re-doing their bedrooms and it was a great opportunity for a plan to get Toby to a date with a girl he liked, how they couldn't get home and then then they found out Toby's friend had lied about her parents, and how Tracy was getting frustrated with Lily staying with her and Cam.

"Y'know, we've missed you." Liam said, after a few minutes of silence. Leanna grinned, pulling out a pack of cards from one of the drawers.

"And you think I ain't missed you? I've been stuck in Burnywood without my mates! Anyway though, I'm gonna' beat you's so bad you'll cry." She laughed, dealing the cards.

* * *

><p>Leanna slipped into bed, feeling releived that the day had gone really well. She turned over and said goodnight to Tee, and stared at the wall, a little smile playing on her lips. Sure, she was in care and it wasn't the greatest thing socially or mentally, but she wasn't at home- she wasn't cleaning up after her Dad or trying to coax the cocaine away from her Mum, she didn't have to worry about going hungry again, she had people to care for her. Something she didn't remember ever having.<p>

So Leanna dropped into a deep sleep, her guard had been let down the whole day since she had fun. She felt safe, which for once, was a very bad feeling. For outside the window, staring up at the sleeping house with glazed eyes, stood a drunken man, his blonde hair unkempt and dirty, his clothes unwashed and stinking of beer, a man intent on finding his only daughter.

**A/N: sorry updates have been slow, had a couple of family problems. I'll update quicker now! Sorry about the short paragraph, writers block. Review please, it lets me know that people like and read my story and want more or improvement.(and everyone needs that confidence ;) ) Thanks to those who have :D**


	19. Come Home

******A/N; Sorry guys, its been a while. Not so proud of this one, wrote it all in one go. But its a turn in the story though... hope you like it :)**

**Come Home**

She had quite a peaceful nap, but not so much of a peaceful awakening. Leanna jolted awake to the sound of Toby running through the house, yelling at the top of his voice. Her mind still fuzzy about the weeks events, Leanna pulled herself out of bed and got changed into a pair of jeans and a top that tied at the front before opening the door and unwillingly trudging down the stairs. As she got to the bottom she rubbed her eyes again and focused on the chaos that ensued.

"Mike! Mike!" Toby was calling, running up the stairs and then back down again, dressed in his school uniform. The Primary School kids were going back to school that day. Leanna dodged past him and went over to Liam, who was eating a piece of toast lazily.

"Whats up with him?" She asked, flopping down on the sofa under the stairs. Liam shrugged and finished his last mouthful, turning round when he heard Mike coming downstairs. He looked exhausted, but he put on a cheery smile and stopped Toby from running around by putting his hands on Toby's small shoulders.

"What is it Toby?" He asked kindly, hiding the tiredness in his voice. Toby looked up at him, a slightly scared expression plastered across his face. He turned to look at the wide open door, and then pointed outside.

"There's a man sleeping in the middle of the drive!" He stammered, and then rushed upstairs. Mike frowned, and Leanna grabbed Liam's arm and followed Mike outside.

Sure enough, passed out on the ground was a fairly tall man, with cropped blonde hair and a slight beer belly. From where she was Leanna couldn't see his face, and Mike told them to go back inside while he sorted this out. Rolling her eyes, Leanna walked back into the warmth, and called upstairs to Toby that it was all okay. By now all the kids of the dumping ground had gathered downstairs, and were eagerly pushing each other out of the way to get a glimpse out of the window.

Suddenly the door flung open and Mike stumbled back inside, his face red and shocked. He slammed the door shut and locked it quickly, and leant back on it, closing his eyes and breathing slowly. "Mike? Whats wrong?" Tee asked, looking worried. Gina came down the stairs, wearing bright colours as usual.  
>"What on Earth is going on?" She demanded, stopping when she saw Mike.<p>

Mike opened his eyes and looked at the kids, and shook his head in disbelief. "Kids, go upstairs. I need to talk to Gina." The children protested at this, but when Gina bellowed at them they hurried upstairs, and all crowded into Liam's "Pink Palace".

"Who is that guy?"  
>"Why is he here?"<br>"We're all going to die, I know it."  
>"Mike looked scared."<br>"I want Jeff!"

Soon the questions died down and everyone fell silent, and looked at each other worriedly. "So, what are we going to do about this?" Sapphire asked, crossing her arms.

"Me and Leanna will go down there and find out whats happening. We 'ave a right to know." Liam decided, and stood up. Sighing, Leanna followed him, a bad feeling niggling at her deep down. But she ignored it, curiosity getting the better of her. When they got downstairs they noticed that it was very quiet, and all that could be heard was Mike and Gina talking to each other in hushed tones in the office. The two crept towards the office, trying to hear what was being said.

"CRASH!"

Leanna jumped out of her skin, hearing the glass shattering behind them. They spun around, and to their horror, saw a thick pole come flying towards them.

"Get down!" Liam cried, grabbing Leanna by the shoulders and throwing both of them to the ground. The pole hit the mirror and smashed it, and another sheet of glass rained down onto the floor. Mike and Gina raced out of the office, and Mike's face went white when he saw the smashed window and who was standing behind it.

"Call the police." He instructed quietly, and Gina slowly reached for the phone whilst Liam and Leanna crawled away to the side.

"Alright there, darlings? Sorry, didn't mean to hit you, bad aim you see."

Leanna could recognise that voice anywhere. Her heart beat quickened, and she felt sick for a second. he was here, and he was dangerous.

"Look, we can deal with this in a more civilised matter," Mike began, putting out his arms in defense and walking backwards as the man clambered through the stair window. His hands were covered in blood, but he didn't seem to notice and was only focused on getting inside.

"Oh don't worry, _Mike_. I'm not here to talk. I'm here to see someone special." The man slurred, and stumbled inside, almost falling down the stairs whilst doing so. Leanna squashed herself in the gap between the sofa and the colourful wall which separated the corridor to the door from the little area. Liam looked at her out of the corner of his eye, confused. "C'mon Sweetie, I know you're here..."

As he stumbled over to the quiet room which was the opposite way to the kitchen, Leanna jumped out of her space and dashed towards the kitchen, tripping over things as she went. Liam bolted after her, his heart racing.

"Where's the key, where's the key..." Leanna was mumbling, her hands shaking as she fumbled through the drawers of the kitchen counters. Liam swore under his breath and wrestled with the back door, but to no avail. As soon as he had seen the familiar face of that man, Liam knew he had to get Leanna out. Her Dad was back, and he wouldn't leave without her. He punched the door in frustration, and then started opening all the doors as well, trying to find the ring of keys._ Honestly, why did they have to lock the door on this day of all times?_

Suddenly the sound of footsteps coming towards the kitchen were heard, and Leanna froze where she was. Mike could be heard running after the footsteps, and he shouted at Mr Smith, telling him to go away, there was the sound of shoving, but it still came closer, so close that Leanna found herself panicking and Liam's arms were suddenly around her, pulling her behind the counter, away from her Dad, but he still came...

"Found you."

He shoved Liam out of the way, who shouted angrily and got back up as soon as he fell. Frank and Sapphire hurried into the room, hearing the commotion. "Listen babe, you're my daughter, ain't you. I want you to come home, your Mum aint right, she needs you, you need us. C'mon Leanna, come back." He said calmly, walking towards her as she backed towards the back door.

"I don't want to come home. I'm better of here." She said firmly, but her voice was shaking, and she felt sick.

"There's no choice, babe, you're coming home." He said more forcefully this time, and Leanna found herself against the door, her whole body tense as he stormed towards her. "You're coming whether you like it or not."

"Mr Smith, we've called the police, leave Leanna alone." Mike said bravely, stepping forwards. Mr Smith just clicked his tongue to dismiss him, and shook his head at Leanna.

"Now, Leanna. Be good and come with me." He said finally, and grabbed Leanna by the shirt. She struggled against him and Sapphire ran forwards with Liam, but she didn't really know what to do.

"Dad, let go! Get it in your stupid head, while your a fucking drunk I ain't going home! Let me go!" She yelled, the courage finally getting to her.

"Don't you know, I've not had nothing to eat for three days? You're mum's relying on her stupid mates to feed her. I tried to provide for us Leanna, but you've made things TEN TIMES WORSE." He spat at her, his piercing blue eyes had a deathly look in them.

"And thats my fault? You spend all your money on drink. I was the one who got the food! You're useless! I did it all! You fucking drank all day! I hate you!" She yelled back, tears beginning to run down her flushed face.

"Fuck you." Was all her dad said, before lifting her off the ground effortlessly.

The force of the door hitting her head was enough to knock her straight out, and the last things she heard before everything shut off was screaming and someone crying, holding her close...

**A/N: What did you think? Sorry it's been so long. Review please, its just a few clicks :p**


	20. Try to Remember

**A/N: So sorry, its been ages! Busy month, haha. Hope this chappies alright, so review please! Thanks to everyone who reviewed before.**

**~Chapter 20 - Try To Remember~**

There was no one there when she woke up.

The room she was in had boring white walls, and no windows. There was only a bed and a few drips and medical things, but nothing else. It was kind of like a prison. Upon opening her eyes, Leanna tried to move, but the blanket was tucked in so tight she was stuck on her back, staring up at the ceiling.

She had dreamed of a pretty road, with a cobble stone path and lovely little shops on either side. She had been walking down that road, two boys with her. She had seen a bakery, a pretty one. It had ribbons decorating the windows and food displayed, with icing and colourful sprinkles. She was hungry, and she wanted to buy something. She had wanted the cupcake, it was covered in vanilla icing and had chocolate chips decorating it in a swirly pattern. The two boys who she was with ran into the shop straight away, and proceeded to buy what they wanted and sat at a table to eat. Checking she had her purse, Leanna opened the door and the little bell rang. She stepped inside, but something stopped her and she was pushed back. So she tried again, but the same thing happened. It was as if there was a forcefield in front of the door, and it was stopping her from entering.

So she gave up and went to the greasy store opposite, which sold food- but the food wasn't nice. She could buy something there easily, but after eating she still felt hungry so decided to go back to the pretty bakery. But this time, she got in. So she bought the cupcake and was about to take her first bite when it was snatched away from her. She tried to take it back, but whatever had taken it wasn't willing to give up without a fight. She found herself being strangled, and the air was being squeezed out of her lungs. As she gasped for air, she was dragged out of the shop where everyone else was- everyone who was happy.

Suddenly the door clicked open, and a lady wearing a baby pink dress with an apron hurried in. She began disinfecting the medical equipment but stopped when she noticed Leanna's eyes were open. "Oh! Hello deary, I wasn't expecting you to be awake!" She grinned cheerfully, walking over to the side of the bed. She had fluffy brown hair which was pulled back tightly into a bun, and little wrinkles by the sides of her eyes and mouth. "I'd better go call the doctor."

Leanna just watched her leave, and stared at the door until a man came in, who looked very confident. He marched over to the bed, checked the drips and then gave a massive smile to Leanna. She blinked up at him, confused. "It's been a day and a half Leanna!" He announced, checking his watch. "I'll bet you'll be wanting to see everyone, am I right? I just need to call Mike to tell him the good news, then we'll give you one last check and they can come in and visit." he told her in a hurry, and then left again. Leanna stared blankly after him, her dark eyes clouded with confusion.

"Leanna!" Mike grinned, and burst into the room, his arms wide open. He went to hug her, but she flinched and moved away, a terrified look on her face. Mike stepped back awkwardly, and scratched the back of his neck. "Sorry Leanna...how're you feeling?" He asked, glancing at Gina worriedly. Gina shrugged and looked at the girl sympathetically.

"I want the nurse." Leanna said simply, pulling the covers over her shoulders. Mike nodded quickly, and Gina left the room to get the woman who was there earlier. "Ah Mike, I need to talk to you about Leanna." The doctor came around the corner, and peered into the room. Mike nodded again and left with the doctor, where they talked in hushed tones in the waiting area. It was silent again, but not for long.

"Leanna!" the door burst open once more. A tallish boy with spiky brown hair lumbered in, a big grin plastered over his face. His nose and cheeks were lightly dusted with freckles, and he wore a black polo shirt with a purple hoodie. The boy came over to the bed and plonked himself down onto the chair next to it. What was with all these strangers coming in? The boy held a football under one arm, and he started to throw it up into the air and catch it repeatidly, making Leanna dizzy. So she turned away from him and closed her eyes, wishing for all these strange people to go away. "Leanna?" The boy repeated. "We've missed you loads, y'know. It's only been like a couple of days but Tee was telling me how she wished you'd come back." He said quietly, his Essex accent standing out.

"What do you want?" Leanna asked, turning over again and staring up at the boy, her eyebrows furrowed. Liam's eyes widened in shock, and he frowned for a second.

"Err... I came to visit you Leanna... but y'know if you dont want me here then.." He trailed off, lost for words for once. Leanna stared at his face for a moment, thinking hard. He was very good looking, even when he was staring at her in that 'what's up with you' look. But as hard as she tried she just didn't recognise him, but he sure seemed to know her.

"I'm... I'm sorry... whoever you are... but I dont know what you're talking about... or who this Tee is..." She finally said, attempting to sit up, but collapsing back onto the pillow when a sharp pain shot through the back of her head.

"What? Are you havin' me on? Tee, as in Johnny Taylor's sister. C'mon Leanna, what are you going on about. We're best mates!" He said, sitting up in the chair, the ball rolling off of his lap and rolling into the corner of the room. His brown eyes bore into her, little lines forming at the edges of his eyes.

"Johnny? don't... I don't know what... don't speak so loud! I dont even know you!" She suddenly yelled, sitting up again, but the covers kept her down and she fell back, her head landing on the pillow. She closed her eyes, clenching her teeth as the pain shot up her neck and through her head again. The boy was shaking his head, and he stood up suddenly. He gave her one last look before grabbing the ball and leaving the room, whilst running a hand through his hair in frustration.

* * *

><p>"Liam! What were you doing in there! I told you, you can see her later!" Mike scolded, coming around the corner. Liam just scowled and started pacing the waiting room.<p>

"What's wrong with her, Mike? Is she just playing a joke on me or something?" He asked finally, coming to a stop and sitting down on one of the plastic chairs. Mike gave him a concerned look and sat down next to him, resting his elbows on his knees. "She claims she doesn't know who I am... or who Tee is.. or Johnny... it's as if shes forgotten us. Or she's trying to be funny."

"Look Liam... I was just talking to the doctor. The reason I didn't want you in there was because I knew it would affect you.." Mike trailed off, and he sighed deeply.

"What would affect me? Mike, whats goin' on?" Liam demanded, turning to face the older man.

Mike sat up straight, and glanced towards the door where Leanna's room was. "Doctor Fearn just told me that the impact of her head hitting the door has caused her to lose her memory. But... it's only temporary. He thinks she'll be alright to go home in a few days, and her memory will slowly come back." Mike finished, waiting for Liam's reaction. The boy just nodded, seemingly unaffected by it now.

"Okay." He said simply.

* * *

><p>"Right, this is Elm Tree House." Gina told Leanna, leading the girl out of the mini van. Leanna stared up at the large house, squinting from the sunlight that poured down through the trees. "You live here, yeah?" She continued, and ushered her through the door. Almost immediately a crowd of children gathered, their voices loud and concerned. "Hey!" Gina screamed, silencing them all. Tracy hurried around the corner, and pushed her way through the children.<p>

"Oh my Gosh Leanna, its so great that you're back!" She cried, embracing the girl. Leanna stood there rigidly, not knowing who this strange woman was. "Oh, sorry." Tracy laughed, realising.

"Leanna, that's Tracy. Remember her?" She asked gently, but Leanna just shook her head quickly and stood there, not knowing what to do. "Move out of the way, all of you! Leanna babe, I'll take you to your room, okay?" She took the confused girl up the stairs and to the room that was hers for now. all her belongings were still there, but for now they meant nothing to her. She sat down on the purple mattress and Gina left, after lingering at the doorway for a moment with a sad smile on her face.

She was in peace for a while, lying on the bed, staring at the contents of the room. Her mind was a jumble, she didn't know what to think. "I thought this might help you remember." Suddenly a voice interupted her from her peacefullness, and she looked over to the door to see the same boy from before standing there, holding a photo. He showed it to her, whilst studying her face. "Thats me- Liam. Theres you, and thats Frank. On that day, you came over for a barbeque. Lily and Carmen insisted on giving you a makeover, it weren't exactly what you thought it was gonna' be though." He said, smiling as he remembered the memory. Leanna just stared blankly at the photo, wishing this strange boy would go away again.

"Okay." She said, and turned over. Liam sighed, and sat down on the end of the bed. "Y'know, when your dad threw you against the door I thought you died." He said quietly, resting his head in his hands. "As soon as he did that... he started crying. Its as if seeing his little girl hurt almost killed him. The police had to get him away from you. He wouldn't let go of you, he was so guilty. And all i could do is stand there init. I was a proper idiot." He told her, looking at the floor. Leanna turned around slowly, and watched him sit there.

"My Dad wouldn't hurt me." She replied. "He loves me loads. Just the other day y'know, he took me to the park to get an ice cream. Then me, him and Josh had a water fight. You're mad, you are." She told him, her eyes wandering to the drawing that was framed on the wall. It was her brother, Josh. "Who drew that? It's my brother!" She gasped, covering her mouth.

Liam couldn't help but chuckle at that, although he felt so fustrated at the fact that she was so stuck in the past. "No... that must have been years ago Leanna. Look, me and Frank right? We're your best mates, and you live in this care home with us. I know it will take a while, but you will remember Leanna, I ain't taking no for an answer." He said.

"You're probably not gonna remember half the stuff I tell you when your memory comes back. so... I just want you to know, whatever I say, I don't ever stop caring for you, not ever. I really like you Leanna, but I guess that doesn't matter. Cya later..." He sighed, got up and left the room. Frank stood by the door, a wave of sympathy going over him. He hated seeing his two best friends like this- one not remembering anything from the present, and the other not being himself. If only there was something he could do... but for now, he just had to hope.

Leanna pulled the covers up around her and closed her eyes, trying to make sense of what the boy just said. She was sure she didnt know him... but did she? Those sparkling brown eyes... his light brunette hair... his smile, his clothes, his accent, his jokes, something at the back of her brain was telling her that he was in her life, and he meant a lot to her. Liam... Liam O'Donovan. Yes, she did know him. The fog in her brain cleared a little, and she could remember slightly the days they spent together, laughing, joking, talking. Yes, she did remember him.

"It does matter, I like you a lot too Liam..." She whispered to herself.

**A/N: So annoyed, I still haven't seen the last episode of TBR! Aaah D: Sorry if Liam seemed a bit OOC, he'll go back to normal soon. Yay 20 chapters! btw this is set in the beginning of series 2 - after Burnywood. What do you think of this one? drop a review please :D**


	21. Elektra

**~Chapter 21 - Elektra~**

"Right kids, we've got a new girl coming to live here!" Mike announced, a cheery grin plastered over his face. Carmen immediately grinned at the excitement of someone new, whilst Sapphire groaned and rolled her eyes, and Johnny grimaced. "She'll be here soon, so you all need to be super friendly and make her feel at home." He said, before leaving the living room. "Oh, and one more thing guys, she's 15, so she's a little younger than Sapphire. Be nice!"

Tee clapped her hands excitedly and looked at Carmen, who was already chatting about what she might look like. Leanna sat on the sofa with Sapphire, both of their eyes firmly fixed on the Mizz magazines in front of them. Liam sauntered into the room, an extremely bored look on his face. He walked over to the pool table and took a shot, and Frank followed quickly after. Something was definitely up with Liam, he hadn't been the same for a few days.

Leanna flipped the page and scanned over it, her mind elsewhere. It had been two weeks since the whole accident, and now her memory was mostly fully recovered. She had some trouble with remembering things around the time of the accident and a little bit after, but apart from that she felt completely normal. The past two weeks had been pretty average, but Liam had seemed off. Frank noticed too- Leanna often saw Frank giving him worried glances, but he didn't really know what to say. Their friendship had seemed different, it was as if Liam had something to say but whenever he paused as if he had something important on his mind, he shook it off and went all weird.

The front door opened and shut, and the sound of voices was heard. "Should we go and meet her?" Carmen gasped, jumping up, her sparkly waistcoat catching in the sunlight which streamed in from the windows. Tee up to follow her, but Leanna stopped them.

"Guys, you'll probably scare her! Wait until she's ready to meet us." She told them, and the two agreed, sitting down.

"Yeah, she'll probably run away as soon as she sees you." Sapphire teased, standing up and leaving.

A whole ten minutes passed before the girl came into the room. She was fairly tall, with short brown hair which had shocking blue highlights in it. She wore an electric blue jacket and big noticeable ear rings. There was no smile upon her face at all. Carmen, being the bubbly girl she was, jumped up immediately and went over to this new girl. She took a strand of her hair in her hands and grinned from ear to ear. "Hi! You must be Elektra. Oh wow, amazing hair! how did you get it like that?" She babbled, but Elektra just folded her arms and gave an unimpressed smirk.

"Shut up. Who's in charge?" She said in a monotone voice, and Carmen backed away, looking rejected. The whole room went silent, and Leanna put her magazine down. "Are you all thick or something? I said, who's in charge?" She repeated, with more force. The room still stayed silent, but one by one heads began to turn, until everyone was looking at Liam. He stopped what he was doing, and looked over at Elektra, a look of pure confusion over his face.

"Oh God." Leanna whispered, beginning to stand up, as Elektra stormed over to Liam. Before anyone could react, she shoved him hard in the chest and sent him flying over the pool table, while his cue hit the floor with a bang. "Oi!" She cried defensively, standing up, but Toby pulled her down worriedly, and she slumped back onto the sofa, whilst Frank helped Liam up.

"Come on then!" Elektra threatened. "Are you chicken, or what. Come on!"

Liam dusted himself off, giving the new girl a disgusted glare. "I ain't gonna fight you, you nutter." He spat, picking up his cue and aiming. "Two shots, weren't it Frank?" He asked, before hitting the black ball and sending it into the pocket. Elektra glared back and stormed out, leaving the rest of the kids' gob smacked.

"...Liam, are you okay?" Leanna gasped, jumping over the back of the sofa and running over to him. He just glanced at her.

"Why'd you all look at me? Why don't you fight your own battles for a change? 'Cause I'm not doing it! Come on Frank." He told them angrily, and stormed out, Frank following. The room stayed silent, and Leanna watched him leave, her eye brows raised in amazement.

Something was up with him, and she was going to find out what.

**A/N: Sorry sorry sorry about the slow updates :S got a busy schedule haha, I promise I'll actually try to update faster.**

**Getting a bit of writers block, when i started out i had the whole story planned but I didn't write it down and well... i forgot most of it. So if you've got any ideas then just say! :)**

**Also super sorry about the tiny chapter, its just a filler. Next one will be longer!**


	22. Things that Get Broken

**A/N: Hey guysss! Long chapter here, I think. Sorry if it's a bit rushed or not very good, I didn't have much time as I've got exams to study for, poor me :( **

** ~Chapter 22 - Things That get Broken~**

Eventful. That's one word you could use to describe the events of the previous day.

"Hey Harry." Leanna smiled, sitting down next to the young boy, who was cuddling Jeff on the sofa. He looked up at her, his big blue eyes sparkling with happiness.

"Jeff says hello." He told her, nodding Jeff's head as he spoke. The boy now never let Jeff out of his sight for even a minute, since yesterdays events where the new girl, Elektra, had cut Jeff's leg off. That had caused trouble with Sapphire, which was honestly amusing to watch. Elektra learned her lesson now- never mess with Harry or Sapphire. Not that it would stop her. Leanna sat there for a while, watching the young boy as he made Jeff climb up the steep mountains (which was actually the sofa arm) and make friends with Tee's ladybug toy.

Leanna couldn't remember having much of an imagination, let alone toys to play with.

She soon got bored and left to go back to her room, where she sat on the bed for a while. It was only eight o'clock, and the other kids had left not too long ago for school, now that the holidays were over. Harry didn't start school until half 9, being in the infants. Leanna would have to start school in a week, she was being moved to the same one as the Dumping Ground kids, Mountview Secondary School. It was closer to Elm Tree, and Hillside Comprehensive was on the other side of town, so she had no choice.

Her eyes lingered over to her open closet, where the uniform was hung. It wasn't too bad, she thought. Her old one consisted of a skirt- which was nearly always rolled up way higher than allowed by all the girls, a white fitted blouse and a black blazer with the school's badge on it. This new one was similar, the skirt was pleated, and they had a black blazer and a white blouse as well. But they also had to wear a blue and grey, and in the winter it was required that the girls wear tights. And with England's weather? She figured she would be wearing tights for almost all the year. If she even went.

Since her memory had come back, the images of what happened at Burnywood and the issues with the money came back too. She needed to know if her brother was safe now, if Alfie was happy and she didn't owe him anymore. Her mind was filled with ways for her to find him or Jenny. They were dangerous thoughts, after what happened last time it probably wasn't a good idea.

It wasn't as if anyone would care if anything happened anyway. Liam was still being weird with her, and Frank talked to her occasionally. It wasn't like before, when they all spent everyday together, scamming people and just generally having a laugh. Back before it all got complicated. Sapphire would care, and Tee. The other kids were still wary of her, the night of her fathers visit still fresh in their minds. He was being punished for his actions, he had a few years in jail and he wasn't allowed to see her. It was for the best. But she still couldn't shake the feeling of sadness when Liam had told her that her father had cried and held her while she was unconscious, he was obviously regretful. And he was her father.

The drawing of her brother was hung up above her bed, which was positioned by the wall with the window at the right angle, so it was in the corner and she could just sit there and stare outside at the back of the house, which had a small forest of trees behind the garden. Her statue from her grandparents was sitting on a shelf, a long with the photo of her, Liam and Frank. On the thinner wall with the top of her bed, was her closet, and opposite that wall was blank.  
>There were now no empty rooms in the Dumping Ground. Leanna had began decorating hers, she was hoping to paint a sunset on the wall opposite the closet. Sapphire was helping her; the two had grown quite close, both sharing a liking for art.<p>

There wasn't much to do in the house when it was almost empty. It was horribly quiet, she had grown used to the sound of all the kids running around and the constant chatter, but now all she could hear was the telly at a low volume downstairs where Gina sat, and the occasional ring of the phone which was cut short by Mike who always seemed to be in the office.

Bored, Leanna picked up her sketch pad and began to draw out the outline of her head, in the middle of the page. Her eyes flickered up to the photo on the shelf and she drew two more shapes which would soon be the heads of Liam and Frank.

* * *

><p>"And then Joe passed the ball to me, but we only had a few seconds before the bell rang. Our team was losing 3-2. And in the last second of the game..." Leanna looked up, hearing Liam's loud voice float through the house. "I scored! It was brilliant. You should've seen it Tee! Our team had me on their shoulders."<p>

She chuckled, it was good to hear him being back to his normal self. She went down stairs to the hallway, where the kids were coming in, dumping their bags on the sofa by the stairs. "It was wicked. Show them your kick Liam!" Frank added in, laughing. Liam dropped his bag and put the ball he was holding under his arm on the floor, aimed, and in slow motion, he kicked the ball pretty powerfully. It flew up into the air, bounced off of the ceiling and whacked into Elektra's back.

"LIAM!" She yelled, grabbing hold of the ball and throwing it as far as she could out of the open door.

"Elektraaa!" Half of the boys groaned, and Johnny stormed out to get it. She gave them all a cold glare, before storming upstairs past Leanna, who was giggling on the middle step.

"Liam, what have I told you about playing football in the house!" Mike sighed,shaking his head.

"C'mon Mike, that was a pretty good kick, you've got to admit it." Liam replied, giving his signature grin. Mike couldnt help but laugh and ruffle the boy's spiky brown hair.

Leanna continued the rest of the way down the stairs, and smiled at the two boys. "Hey guys!" She said, smirking at their uniform. Liam saw this smirk, and raised his eyebrows at her.

"I think I look pretty fit in this, don't give me that look!" He joked, linking arms with Leanna and Frank, and heading out to the garden. _Maybe things would be like the old times now._

* * *

><p>Leanna lay back on the grass, soaking up the rays of sun. It was a rare afternoon where the sun was shining down through the bare trees, and everyone was making the most of it. Some of the kids were playing football with Tracy, who was to be honest pretty bad at it. Leanna ached to go join them but she had been told that she couldn't do any contact sports or anything to do with a ball. So she had to sit out, and made use of her time by finishing the sketch. The garden was filled with laughing and shouting, and it all seemed to be perfect, until everyone went silent and turned to stare at the door. The ball bounced away from Gus' feet, and rolled into the bushes but no one went to get it.<p>

Leanna pulled her earphones out and looked up, to see Elektra standing by the backdoor. Even Mike had stopped cooking at the barbecue, and was staring in shock at the girl.

"What are you_ freaks_ staring at?" She grumbled, and strolled down into the garden and took a seat on the bench. Then she grabbed a plate and filled it with chips, and began hungrily eating them while flipping through a magazine. The garden was still silent, until Liam broke it.

"It's like watching a bear coming out of hibernation..."

Then the whole garden erupted into laughter, while Elektra sat there, the anger obviously bubbling up inside her. The adults didn't even notice this though, and laughed as well, the atmosphere going from good to great. Leanna rolled over and started to do impressions of a bear waking up, and Liam and Frank joined her on the grass, and all three of them rolled around, pretending to be sleepy bears. This caused everyone to erupt into a fresh batch of laughter, even Gus laughed this time, as before he had been trying to tell everyone the actual facts about bears and how Elektra wasn't like a bear at all.

Leanna stopped rolling around and lay back, holding her stomach as she laughed. They all soon quietened down, and Leanna pushed her black hair out of her eyes to see Elektra standing over them. "You lot are a bunch of idiots." Elektra said coldly, her eyes boring into them.

Leanna smiled forcefully, trying to stop herself from laughing again. "C'mon Elektra, take a joke!" She said, grinning.

"Shut up scar face, before I give you another cut to match that one." She sneered cruelly, her eyes hovering over the jagged cut on the side of Leanna's face. Leanna's hand immediately shot to her face in embarrassment, and she shifted so she was sitting up and her hair covered the scar that Alfie had accidently given her.

"Oi that ain't fair!" Liam defended, his cheerful face becoming serious and his eyes dulling. The garden had gone back to normal again and Mike was absent mindedly cooking again, not taking any notice of the argument between the four teenagers. "You 'ave no right to say stuff about that!"

"What are you gonna do about it? Hah, is she like your girlfriend or something? isn't that adorable." She teased, and Leanna lowered her head again, blushing.

"He's sticking up for me like a mate should, now fuck off and go get some kids to nick stuff for you!" She added in, referring to Elektra's first day. Frank nodded beside her, amused by the argument.

"Yeah, she's my mate, my girlfriend's name is Bethany. You can leave now, you nutter."

Elektra glared at them angrily for a second, before storming back inside and slamming the door loudly. Mike looked up from cooking and raised his eyebrows. "Whats got into her?" He asked cheerfully.

"So this girlfriend... since when...?" Leanna mumbled, turning to face Liam. His cheeks flushed pink for a second, but he just smiled.

"He asked her out today. Bethany Foster." Frank told her, and Liam nodded. Bethany foster- Leanna knew her. She had a sister called Felicity Foster, and even though she had an odd name, she was probably the 'hottest' girl at Hillside Comprehensive. Bethany went to Mountview. Both were blonde, with great figures and big blue eyes, everything the boys wanted. Felicity had a reputation for being slutty, and Bethany was sure to follow. She was known to be fussy when it came to going out with boys, and Leanna was surprised she said yes to Liam, a care kid. But then again, he was very good looking and probably quite well known in his school.

"Aww, that's cool!" Leanna replied, smiling half heartedly. Liam was just a friend... why did she feel a slight sinking feeling in her heart? Why was she disappointed that his standards were so high? Why did she feel that now he had a girl friend, he might treat her differently, or worse, not talk to her at all?

She brushed those thoughts away and walked over to Tee and Carmen, who were sitting in a strange sort of circle/triangle, plaiting each others hair. "Hi Leanna! Could you do us a favour?" Tee asked. She looked so happy, unlike before when Carmen and Lily ignored her and just stayed together. Leanna agreed, she had nothing better to do. "Could you get us some makeup from upstairs please? Oh, and you can join us too."

Leanna nodded and headed inside, through the kitchen and upstairs. She might as well join them. But she decided to get some of her make up too, and do the other girls faces but not have them do hers. Her face was still slightly red from the remarks that Elektra had said, and she had just gotten used to having a jagged cut on the side of her face. She didn't show it, but it did knock her confidence.

Her bedroom door was wide open, when she got the the end of the hall. Not thinking much of it, she walked in and went straight to her closet to find her make up. It was in a box at the bottom. She grabbed a small bag and began filling it up, mascara, lip gloss, foundation, blusher, eye liner, eye shadow, she piled it all in and then stood up to leave.

It was when she turned around she noticed the mess on the floor. There was glass scattered everywhere, and a midst the pile of shattered glass was a red crystal heart.

She knew what it was. Almost immediately her eyes shifted to the empty space on her shelf.

Her glass ballerina that her Grandparents had given her now lay shattered into thousands of pieces on the floor, casting reflections on the walls from the rays of sunlight entering the room. She felt slightly light headed as she sunk to her knees in front of the mess, and for the first time in almost a year, broke down into tears.

**A/N: Did you like it? I hope so :D Good luck to any of you who are doing exams, and I'll try to get the next chapter done quickly! :) **  
><strong>Review pleaseeeeeeeee press that button down there for me :)<strong> **Any ideas are appreciated!**


	23. Good Friends

**A/N: Hey guys, I'm back! Holidays now so maybe I can update quicker. Sorry for the delay, and the fact that this chapter is mostly conversation. Hope you like it, and don't forget to leave a review please! :)**

**~Chapter 23 - Good Friends~  
><strong>

Leanna was taking too long. Tee shifted uncomfortably, watching as Lily threw her arms up in the air in annoyance. "Where is she?" She complained. "It's been 20 minutes, it don't take _that long_to get some make-up." Tee frowned slightly, Lily was right; Leanna was taking far too long. What if Elektra was giving her trouble? She pushed herself up off of the grass and stretched. Carmen had given up by now and was laying back on the picnic rug, her eyes closed.

"I'll go find her." Tee said calmly, and skipped off towards the house. She ran up the stairs two at a time, grumbling slightly when the tassle of her pink hoodie caught on the banisters and she had to rip it free. It was quiet indoors, whereas outside you could hear the screaming and yelling of all the kids having fun. She loved barbeque days, it was such a great way to let go and bond with everyone. Well, everyone except Elektra, she was mean. Carmen liked her a little though, which Tee didn't really approve of, not after what happened with the secret club. She would never do anything like that again. Ever.

Leanna's bedroom door was closed, so she opened it quietly, expecting that perhaps Leanna had fallen asleep. Instead she almost stepped in a pile of broken glass, and she jumped back quickly, realising she wasn't wearing socks or shoes. "Leanna, are you in here?" She asked, peering in and then edging around the glass. She was there, sitting against the wall on her bed, a frown marking her features. Her black hair was tangled and her olive skin was dull and streaked with tears, although none fell from her now red eyes. She was staring at the opposite wall, and flinched when Tee came to sit by her hesitantly. She crossed her legs, and fiddled with the rim of her pale blue t-shirt. "I'm sure if we got some glue we could fix it..." She murmured nervously, sneaking a glance at the older girl.

To her surprise, Leanna laughed. It wasn't a cheerful, happy laugh, it was cold and heartless, more like a sneer. "There ain't no way you can fix that." She said, pointing her foot towards the pile of shattered glass. She was right, the glass was smashed into tiny little pieces. The only way to tell it wasn't just a cup was the red crystal heart, which remained intact amidst the mess.

"I'm sorry..." Tee sighed.

"It's okay. It weren't your fault. It's just that... it was a present, from my grandparents. I've already told you that, I remember... I ain't seen them in over eight years. I can still remember them. I think I was six the last time we visited, and my Nan was wearing a long pale pink skirt with a floral blouse, and she had her hair all curled, it looked proper lovely on her, even though it was quite a granny-ish style. Grandad was wearing a brown plaid shirt and black trousers, and he always had these round spectacles that he'd strain his eyes to look out of. He had hardly any hair, but he never hid it with hats or nothing." Leanna was silent for a moment, her eyes narrowed.  
>"The last time we visited them, I remember Nan and Grandad took me to the sea side. I barely remember that though, except for the pebbles and that the sea was freezing. I had been dancing around on one of the larger rocks like a proper idiot, and i slipped and fell. I twisted my ankle, so as an extra treat later that day they bought me that statue, the ballerina, because of my stupid dancing. When we got home Dad got well mad, and he argued with them for ages. I don't know what really happened but it was the last time I ever saw them. I don't think i ever said goodbye." She finished, pulling her knees up to her chest and resting her chin on them.<p>

"I didn't really know my Grandparents either." Tee said softly, taking Leanna's hand and squeezing it. "But, I had Johnny. And thats enough, for now. And when I'm older my children won't know their grandparents, I won't let them. But I will be such a great mum that it won't matter! And you have your brother, when he comes back. And your mum, if she gets better. It all doesn't seem so bad if you think about the good things."

Leanna smiled, for her age Tee was wise, and a good friend to have. "Thanks Tee." She murmured, stretching a bit and getting up. "How do you... calm down... you know, when you get upset?"

Tee paused, and fixed the hairband on her plait. "Well... I like to make things. Or tidy up, and that's what Johnny does as well. You could draw! You're good at that." Tee told her, her eyes drifting to the sketch of Leanna's brother that was on the shelf.

After their conversation, Tee left Leanna to have some time alone, and skipped back downstairs. "Finally! Where's Leanna?" Carmen asked, standing up. Tee sighed inwardly, realising she hadn't thought of an excuse. She told them that Leanna had gotten a call from one of her old friends and was sorry but she wanted to talk. Tee felt bad, she hated lying a lot. Lily shrugged and beckoned for Tee to sit down. It was then that Tee remembered that she hadn't brought any makeup.

* * *

><p>Leanna didn't want to talk to anyone else now. She would be better off alone, so she could calm down so she didn't upset anyone else. She left the quietness of her room and walked along the landing, an idea popping into her head. If she climbed through the boys toilet window, she could get to the flat roof of the garage. No one would find her there. So checking whether the bathroom was occupied (she didn't want any awkward encounters) she then climbed onto the closed toilet seat, unhatched the window and squeezed out. It was only a little jump to the safety of the roof, which was hidden from view by the Oak. From here she could see into the garden, but they couldn't see her. Pulling off her hoodie, she crumpled it into a ball and then lay her head back on it. She could think in peace now, with only the rustling of leaves, chirping of birds and the smell of the barbeque.<p>

"I brought you some food." A voice said, and Leanna jumped, opening her eyes. To her left, Liam was pulling himself up onto the roof, and next to her was a paper plate filled with chips and a chicken drumstick. Liam grumbled to himself as he hauled himself up, it must've been hard to climb up to the roof whilst carrying food. "I dropped most of it on the way up, sorry." He chuckled, and came to sit cross legged by her, whilst zipping up his purple hoodie.

"Hmm." She mumbled, looking at the plate of food. It looked tempting, but she wasn't in the mood.  
>They sat in silence for a long while, but it was a comfortable silence, Liam had ended up sneakily stealing chips from the untouched plate, seeing as Leanna wasn't eating. "How'd you find me?" Leanna finally said, breaking the silence.<p>

"C'mon, I'm the Liam O'Donovan. I know every inch of this place- and I reckoned you'd be here, since I snuck you in this way." Liam explained, turning to face her. His eyes scanned over her face, he could tell she had been crying even though all the tears were gone. "Maybe you could put the glass in a bowl, that way it don't look shabby and you still have it..." Liam suggested.

"Maybe." Leanna said quietly, she had to admit it was a good idea.

"Y'know, hardly any of us know our grandparents. Only Frank, I think really..."

"It's the only thing I have left of them though. And fucking Elektra broke it on purpose. I know it was her, the little bitch." Leanna said firmly, sitting up and grabbing a chip, giving in to the temptation. "She's fucking dead, wait til I get hold of her!" She ranted, eating the chip angrily. Liam smirked, amused at her angry eating. "Can we talk about something else?"

He nodded, and lay back, staring up into the branches of the oak tree. The sun was ever so slowly starting to set, and the sky was beginning to turn pink. "You'll be starting Mountview School soon." He mentioned, turning his head to look at her. She sighed loudly and lay down aswell, busying herself with looking at her hands.

"I ain't looking forward to that. What if I'm not with you or Frank? I could end up with Elektra..."

"Theres only five form classes, and it depends on the subjects you're taking as well... you'll be fine though, everyone will love you!" He comforted, taking her hand and looking at her blue nails, which were starting to chip. "And plus, I can get Bethany to look out for you. You'd like her, yanno'."

Leanna grimaced, she didn't really like the idea of hanging around Bethany, or having her treat Leanna like a little kid. "You're making it seem like I'm starting year 7 or something." She chuckled, deciding not to say anything about Bethany. It was best not to say something she'd regret, and worse upset Liam. He grinned, and then the sparkle in his brown eyes faded and his grin fell.

"Look, I need your advice on summink'." He said, deadly serious. Since when did Liam ever need advice? "I know I'm like... an expert on girls and all, but yanno I really want to impress Beth for our first date, and... well you're a girl... so..." He mumbled, blushing slightly.

"Correct, I am a girl Liam." Leanna began, a ghost of a smile appearing on her lips. She was quite surprised that Liam had asked her for advice- that never happened. And especially when it came to girls, as he was usually the one to give advice, for example with Toby. She was perfectly fine with helping people with stuff like that, but it was Liam... and the girl was Bethany. She hesitated for a moment before speaking again. "I think you should take her to a movie- I would guess she'd like that chick flick stuff... and then take her around town, 'cause you do know it best. And then maybe find a restaurant or something for tea, you know, show her your gentleman side." She told him.

"Yeah, thats kinda what I had in mind. She likes that stuff, how did you know?"

Leanna sighed, but forced a smile. "I know her sister, and I figured they'd like the same things. So you really like her, huh?" She asked, keeping the cheerfulness in her voice.

Liam paused for a moment, thinking. "Uh... yeah. I guess I do. Frank don't seem to approve though..." They were interrupted by the sound of Frank calling Liam's name, demanding his help to win the match going on outside. He sat up, letting go of her hand and walked towards the edge of the roof, where he sat down, his legs dangling off of the edge. "Well, duty calls." He joked. "Thanks Leanna, you're a good friend." He said, grinning at her, before jumping off the edge. Leanna was silent, listening to the boy as he ran back through the garden, yelling cheerful and harmless abuse at the opposing team, and boasting about how he was going to win.

She was a 'good friend'. Well, she thought, that was better than nothing.

**Review please! :)**


	24. Poor, Poor Heart

**A/N: Back with another chapter, yay! This one's quite long, I hope you like it. Don't forget to review please, it makes my day! And I'll try to update quicker for you guys. **

**~Chapter 24 - Poor, Poor Heart~**

"BREAKFAST!" As usual Leanna was awoken by the sweet, calm and caring yelling of Gina, whos bellowing voice shook the walls around them. Groaning to herself, Leanna sat up, kicking the covers away from her feet sleepily. She let out another sigh when her eyes caught sight of the time; 8:45 AM. It was way too early for a Saturday, but she wouldn't be able to get back to sleep anyway. Through the walls she could hear the other Dumping Ground residents stirring.

Leanna pulled out turquoise jeans and a brown halter top from the wardrobe before rushing to the bathroom to get changed before everyone else. She emerged from the bathroom feeling fresh and clean, with her black curly hair pulled back into a high pony tail. Most people were already in the kitchen eating when she arrived, and she took a seat between Johnny and Frank.

Johnny had been in a particularily bad mood for the past few days. He had persuaded Tee to be fostered by a family with a girl her age, as she didn't want to go because they didn't want Johnny. Leanna was happy for Tee, she deserved a good home but she had to admit, the atmosphere in the carehome wasn't as bubbly anymore and she now had one less friend.

Breakfast passed pretty quickly and soon everyone had dispersed to get on with whatever they wanted to do, which left Leanna, Frank and Liam out in the back garden, sitting on the bench. "I'm bored." Liam moaned, resting his head in his arms. Frank agreed, his eyes fixed on the football that lay not too far away.

"You're not the only one..." Leanna replied, staring up at the house. Through one of the windows she could see Elektra, who was hanging up another poster. She turned her head and looked right out of the window at Leanna, and a angry sort of smirk appeared over her face. Leanna looked away quickly, feeling the rage boil inside her. She would never forgive Elektra for breaking her precious statue, but it wasn't like Elektra was asking for forgiveness anyway. So for revenge Leanna had cut huge rips through as many of Elektra's clothes as she could get a hold of, but it didn't really work. Some of the clothes looked fine with rips- it looked good on her, and the rest which had been ruined had been replaced using Leanna's clothing allowance, which was the punishment from Mike. Leanna hadn't snitched on _Elektra_ though, and she wasn't planning to. She'd find another way to get even.

"Leanna!" Tracy's voice echoed across the garden. Leanna shouted a reply, before standing up and stretching.

"I must go see what _her highness_ is needing." She grinned, before running back inside. She wasn't really mocking Tracy, she did like her. She understood the care kids better than Mike and Gina, and she was nice, and not as annoying as Leanna had expected a care worker to be. Tracy was standing by the kitchen counter, swinging car keys in her hand. She gave Leanna a sympathetic sort of look, and gestured to the door.

"We need to go and buy your school uniform." She told her.

"Oh." Leanna said, feeling nerves flutter in her stomach. She would be starting school on Monday at Mountview Secondary School. "Greeeaaaat." She mumbled, and grabbed her jacket from the peg by the back door. "Can I bring Liam and Frank with me please? 'Cause after we can go into town." Leanna asked, shrugging her coat onto her shoulders. Tracy nodded and headed to the door, leaving Leanna to go and get the boys.  
><p>

* * *

><br>"Get this Leanna, you'd look fit!" Liam yelled, chucking her a skirt that reached her ankles, a green hat and a navy blue checked blazer. Him and Frank burst into fits of laughter at her unamused look, whilst clutching their stomaches and holding onto the clothing rails to keep themselves up. Tracy sighed and shook her head, before fondly batting Liam around the head with the clothing bag.

"Idiots." Leanna sneered at them, but pulled the green cap over her hair and swapped her jacket for the blazer, and struck a pose. "I think your right Liam. Is this part of the school uniform? Who cares, I'm getting it." And with that, she grabbed the bundle of ugly clothes and headed towards the counter, a mischevious grin plastered over her face. Liam and Frank were staring at her in shock, trying not to laugh. "Excuse me, how much would these three items cost?" She began to say, and the young sales assistance caught on.

"_Wow_ babe, these would look fab on you!" She drawled, stuffing them into the bag. They both turned towards the boys, who were standing there with their mouths open, and then burst out laughing.

"You guys really are idiots!" Leanna laughed, hanging the clothes back up, her eyes watering from laughter. They stood there dumbfounded for a moment before joining in, and picking out even more horrendous things to wear whilst Tracy looked on in embarassment.

"Uh... _hi_." An unamused voice cut through their banter, and the three turned to face a tall girl with gorgeous blonde hair, which reached her waist in soft waves. Her blue eyes scanned them, judging them all silently. She was wearing light blue jeans shorts over a pair of black tights, and a black tank top. Even though she was dressed so simply, she looked amazing.

"Bethany... hey!" Liam called, pulling off a floppy straw hat that Frank had made him wear. She smiled when she saw him, but it wavered slightly when she noticed he was wearing the hat, along with bright green rimmed sunglasses and a weirdly patterned tie.

"Oh Liam, you are _so..._ funny." She grinned, pulling him into a tight hug. "Who are your friends?"

"I'm Frank... you know me." Frank replied coldly, crossing his arms.

"Leanna." Leanna introduced herself, recognising Bethany as Liam's girlfriend, and Felicity's sister. Bethany smiled nicely, and hugged her too, but completely ignored Frank.

"Any friend of Liam's is a friend of mine!" She simpered. "Do you go to Mountview? I've never seen you around. How come Liam has never mentioned you? You seem like great friends. Babe I love your nails! How'd you get them like that?" Bethany bombarded them her with questions, although her eyes kept flickering to Liam the entire time she was talking.

"Oh, well I just-" She began, remembering how she'd somehow managed to draw little palm trees on a beach on her nails. Art was her best subject, afterall. She never got to finish what she was saying, as Bethany just gave her another one of those sympathy smiles and then turned to Liam again, now completely ignoring both Frank and Leanna.

"I've got to go now Liam, I'll text you later." Bethany sighed, taking his hand. Tracy was staring at them all by the rack of blouses, ovbiously deciding whether or not she thought Bethany was a stuck up bitch or just not good at paying attention. Then, with a last judging look at Leanna, Bethany turned back to Liam, kissed him full on the lips and stalked off, flipping her hair behind her.

There was an awkward silence before Tracy announced that she was going to buy the uniform. "Well... she was... uh... nice." Leanna smiled, trying to find the right words. Frank looked like he didn't agree.

* * *

><p>When they arrived back at the Dumping Ground, it was unusually quiet. At the sound of the car driving onto the gravel, tons of heads popped up at the window. "What's going on?" Frank asked, opening the door and looking up. Liam spotted the car first.<p>

"Someone's here..." He told them, pointing towards the shiny black car that was parked infront of Cam's car. The three gave each other questioning looks, as even Tracy didn't know that they were to have visitors. Mike opened the door, and ushered them inside with a big grin.

Sitting on the sofa under the stairs was a young man and a woman, who was carrying a small baby. "Leanna, someone is here to see you." Mike's soft Irish accent jolted her from her trance, and she realised who she was staring at. Liam and Frank had gone quiet and there was now a group of children who were standing on the stairs, while Sapphire was leaning against the wall, a pleased expression on her face.

_He was back._

"Josh." She managed to choke out, she couldn't believe her eyes. Her own brother was standing in front of her now, wearing his army print uniform, the cap pulled over his shaved head, and grinning at her, his arms held wide. _No, I'm dreaming._ Her mind fought back._ You've just made a mistake, Leanna._ But it was him, it really was. He was the same, he was alive, and he had come to get her. "You're... you're back." She whispered, before launching herself at him, and burying her head in his chest while hugging him tightly.

"I'm back, sis. I've missed you. I came straight to see you, y'know. You've grown up so much!" He whispered into her hair, and the crowd that had formed 'awwed'.

He smelt like his usual aftershave, and his blue eyes still had that mischievous twinkle. His form was muscular under his uniform, but he seemed unharmed, it was as if he had never even gone. When she had finally let go, she took notice of who was sitting on the sofa behind them. There was a girl, and a baby. The girl had dark brown hair which was long and puffy, and was in tight little ringlets. Her dark skin was perfect, not a flaw in sight. She smiled at Leanna with her straight teeth, as if she knew her.

And she did. "Hi, Tia." Leanna said politely, her eyes scanning the African-English girl, and then stopping at the small child in her arms. It had light brown skin and short curly brown hair, and he cooed at her and reached out for Josh with a tiny hand. Tia greeted her back, and held out the little boy in her hands.

"Leanna, meet your _nephew_, Jonah." Josh said softly.

"Oh..." She squeaked, her eyes boring into Jonah. "How... how old is he?" She managed to ask, as Josh pushed her forward to take the baby. She picked him up out of Tia's hands, and sat him on her hip. He was slightly heavy although he wasn't fat, he was quite a healthy size for a child of his age. Jonah gave a toothy grin, and pulled her hair softly. She smiled uncomfortably.

"A year and 3 months." Josh replied, stroking the child on his curls. "Isn't he gorgeous?" You could see the resemblance between father and child. Although Jonah had his mothers brown curls and eyes, his grin was definitely from his father.

"Oh he's lovely, I wish we had a baby at the dumping ground! Then I'd dress them up and stuff, I'd be such a great mother!" Carmen babbled, running down the stairs and towards Leanna and Jonah. "Hi Jonah! I'm Aunty Carmen!" She squealed, waving at him.

"_Aunty_ Carmen?" Liam laughed, finally finding his voice.

* * *

><p>Stuffing her hands in the pockets of her jeans, Leanna watched sadly at the scene in living room through the doors window. Liam, Frank, Carmen, Gus, Sapphire and Harry were all sitting around Jonah. Carmen was attempting to read a story to him, her voice getting louder as she struggled to be heard over the noise, as she told the story of Goldilocks and the Three Bears. Frank had put his fishing hat on Jonah's head, and was now saying to Liam about how if he had any kids (which, he said, was unlikely as he didnt want any) he would bring them fishing with him. Liam was trying to interest Jonah with a rattle toy, but kept glancing back at his phone. Harry was dancing Jeff around Jonah, occasionally mentioning to him how Jeff can be his friend too. Gus was taking notes on every move Jonah made. Sapphire was keeping a watchful eye on them all, clearly the responsible one there.<p>

Jonah was adorable, she had to admit that. He could talk a bit, not proper sentences but he said a lot of words like "Mummy and Daddy, and his favourite word according to Josh was "Pagetti", meaning spaghetti. He could walk- he was still a bit unstable but he was getting good at it. He was friendly, he hadn't burst into tears from the overwhelming amount of attention from the Dumping Ground kids.

That wasn't such a good thing, Leanna thought. He was ovbiously going to trust easily when he was older and that was not good. He had to learn to stick up for himself and be wary of those around him-

"_Shut up_." Leanna said quietly to herself. Just because she had a crap life and had to go around being wary of everyone, it didn't mean she had to feel that everyone else had to be that way as well. Josh would be a great dad. And Tia... she seemed like a good mum, Leanna thought reluctantly.

She was jealous, that's what it was. She was jealous of how her brother now had someone else to look after, someone who would get all the attention instead of her. She would lose him, and they'd never think of fostering her when they had a baby to look after; especially since when Josh was gone Tia was looking after him on her own. Perhaps that would mean she would need help, and sure Leanna could get used to changing nappies and stuff. That thought brought a little bit of hope to her. So when Liam looked up, caught her eye and smiled, she felt another pang of jealousy.

Instead of joining everyone in the living room, Leanna continued on to the office, where Josh and Tia were chatting with Mike and Gina. "I thought something like this would happen. The bloody idiot- sorry, my dad, he... he's messed up. But I thought Leanna would keep out of his way, y'know? I have to thank you, both. For getting there in time. You helped my baby sister." The voice of Josh floated through the door, and Leanna paused. It sounded like he was crying.

"Oh it's not _us_ who you need to thank... it's Liam and Frank. They figured out what was wrong, and although it was against the rules, Liam hid her here." Mike informed them, pride in his voice.

"Our Liam and Frank are good boys, man. Despite what people think! Liam was very worried you know. When she lost her memory, he was not himself for days." Gina added.

"I'll be forever grateful to them. I wish we could take her... I really do but y'see with my job, I just can't afford two kids. One's enough for Tia, at the moment." Josh sighed, and Leanna heard Tia murmur in agreement.

"Leanna's a responsible girl, Mr. Smith! But if you're so sure, then it's completely fine for her to stay here." Mike said, and he sounded genuinely disappointed for Leanna.

"Yeah, she's great, but y'know she can take care of herself. She don't need me and I've got my own life to carry on with. I'll come and see her though, to keep her happy. I do love her y'know, it's just its quite hard to be there and stuff."

"I understand." Mike finished, and excused himself and Gina to get a tea. Leanna's heart jumped and she quickly sped to the quiet room, and tip toed back when Mike and Gina's voices had floated down the hall towards the kitchen. She had expected this, but her heart sank even further to hear her brother say he didn't want her.

"Poor girl, she's been through a lot..." Tia sighed. "Maybe when Jonah's older, yeah?"

"Yeah, when he's older and we've got a better bank account! I can't bloody afford to take on two kids. Thank God this place is council run, eh. Perhaps when my salary gets a little higher I can take Leanna for a day out, to please her. I ain't really been the best brother lately..." Leanna heard Josh get up and start pacing. "I need to get out of this bloody uniform, it's making me nervous. I feel like I'm going back already! Ugh... I really shouldn't have put it on to see her..." He grumbled.

"You didn't have to babe, she would have been fine if you came in your normal clothes. You didn't have to seem so great and pretend you'd come straight from the airport to see her!" Tia said. Leanna's heart dropped even further.

"Yeah well... I wanted to make her happy. How'd you think she'd feel if she knew I'd been here two weeks and hadn't seen her yet? Jeez Tia, sometimes I really wonder..."

She couldn't listen to any more, her heart had broken enough. Leanna swallowed hard, trying not to cry. Firstly her brother didn't want to foster her, and then it turns out he'd been here two weeks and only just came to see her... and _lied_ to her?! She walked slowly back to the living room, trying to compose herself. She would pretend nothing happened, that she didn't hear anything. She wasn't supposed to anyway, she had only brought it on herself. She spent the next half an hour chatting with her brother about everything that had happened in her life, trying to seem as happy as possible. she played with Jonah, and she even made a special effort to talk to Tia.

When Josh, Tia and Jonah finally had to leave she hugged Josh tight, and wished with all her might that when she let go he would be the Josh that she knew before, the Josh that put her first. Then she kissed Jonah on his curly head and smiled politely at Tia again. She even let out a couple of tears- they were genuine though. At least he had come back to her, at least he had come back alive.

* * *

><p>That evening, Liam had convinced Leanna to come into the garden, after realising something was wrong. He didn't ask about it; he figured she'd tell him when she wanted to. Instead he lead her into the middle of the garden (which seemed to be deserted) and then turned on her suddenly and sprayed her with freezing cold water from the water gun he'd been hiding behind his back, and then suddenly some of the other kids appeared and were throwing water balloons at each other, or attacking with guns, there were no obvious teams. It surprised her at first, but then she thought, why not have some fun? And took the second water gun from Liam and made sure she drenched him, and Frank too.<p>

They attacked each other for who knows how long, they ran to the hose pipe to fill their balloons and guns, and eventually two sides were worked out and as usual, it was boys versus girls. Even Mike, Gina and Tracy popped outside for five minutes to launch a surprise attack on all the kids by throwing buckets of water over them.

Leanna flicked her sopping wet hair out of her face to see where she was and crashed straight into Liam, who was carrying a huge water balloon, which of course, popped. They were both drenched again, and found themselves laughing uncontrollably like earlier that day. "Feel better now?" Liam smiled, his brown eyes sparkling. Leanna nodded, and he pulled her into a hug. She sighed, resting her chin on his shoulder, and wrapped her arms around his neck.

"Thanks Liam. You're great." She said, and she was being serious; she did feel much better. He pulled back a little bit so he could look at her face, his arms still around her waist and keeping her close to him.

"Well," He said, flipping his hair out of his eyes and grinning cheekily. "We all already know that I'm great thanks." Leanna smirked at him, she hoped he'd never change, and stay the annoying, arrogant scammer he was. She loved him like that. "You really shouldn't tie your hair up, you look beautiful with it down." He said softly, pushing a strand out of her eyes and behind her ears. Leanna shivered slightly from his touch, and smiled at him. "I hope you're in a good mood now." He smirked.

"I am, don't worry Liam. Thanks again though... you always know how to cheer me up." Leanna smiled, feeling like her heart was melting slightly from the intense gaze he was giving her. Her heart was suffering a lot of abuse lately, she thought to herself, amused.

"Yeah, and I do that 'cause I want to see you happy. I hate it when your sad Leanna. Both me n' Frank do. You deserve to be happy." He told her, smiling himself when she grinned. He really did think she was beautiful, though. Her green eyes, her even tanned skin, her smile, even though her teeth weren't straight. Her curly black hair, even though at that moment it was sopping wet and lay plastered to her face and shoulders.

"And I will be Liam, for _you_. Alright?" She replied, looking away from his gaze. It was almost as if they were the only ones in the garden, but that of course was kept untrue as they were continuously splattered with cold water. Liam turned her face back to look at him again with one hand.

"_Good_." He said, before suddenly he was leaning in towards her, a hand still placed on her cheek. Leanna felt herself start to lean in as well, and their lips were only inches apart before Leanna stiffened.

"_What the fuck are you doing_." She said quietly, her voice had gone hard. Before either could say another word though, Leanna pulled herself from his grip and stormed back inside, only looking back once to see that the whole garden had stopped what they were doing and were now staring at Liam, and her as she slammed the door behind her. At least Elektra or the care workers weren't there to see that.

Sighing, she ran up her stairs two at a time and then closed her bedroom door behind her, trying to keep herself together. Leanna was right, her heart definitely had suffered enough abuse, as at that moment it definitely broke. She buried her face in her pillow. She wouldn't cry again.

**A/N: Did you like the drama? Hehee :3 I felt like muddling it all up. Anyway, please review for me! Thanks :)**

**I still haven't seen the last episode of TBR :(**


	25. Those School Days

**A/N: Hey guys! Another chapter. Please read and review :)**

Those School Days

Starting a new school is one of the most nerve wracking things a young person can go through. Especially a young person in care, there's always the fear of being judged. Leanna leaned against the kitchen counter, eyeing the plates of toast on the table before her. "You'll feel better if you eat something." Mike told her gently, offering a slice of buttered toast. Tracy nodded in agreement.

"No, I'm really not hungry. I er... got up earlier and ate." Leanna told him, crossing her fingers behind her back. The truth was though, she was too scared to eat. She felt like everything she ate would come right back up, and that was down to nerves about starting Mountview Secondary School. Previously she had attended Hillside Comprehensive when she had stayed in Burnywood and before that at home, but Elm Tree House was closer to Mountview and it was decided by Mike and Gina that it was far more convenient if she went to the same school as everyone else.

Leanna was not used to being new. Even after moving from her home to Burnywood and then to Elm Tree, she was worried about making friends. What if people judged her based on the scar on her face? "Go on you lot, leave now or you'll be late, yeah?" Gina told them all, slapping Liam's hand away when he reached for even more toast.

Grabbing her bag from the coffee table by the stairs, Leanna headed out of the door, Carmen skipping along beside her. "It's going to be great! I can show you around, you can hang out with me as well, if you want to." Carmen babbled, her eyes bright with excitement. Leanna nodded politely, it seemed like staying with Carmen was the only option she had. Tee was still in Primary School, and Sapphire was in year 11, and Leanna felt rude to just tag along with her. Elektra was out of the question along with Liam, and she didn't want to put Frank through the trouble of being torn between the two of them.

It only took ten minutes to walk to Mountview, it was down the long road and over the other side of the park. It was a fairly modern building, with tall glass windows on each floor and clean white walls. The grounds were full of students, who were reluctant to go inside for lessons. Carmen waved to a group of girls who were sitting on the stairs, and then took Leanna's arm and walked up the stairs and through the main doors. They were inside what looked like a fancy school office, and then they walked through the glass automatic doors into one of the hallways. "Okay, I'll show you one of the bathrooms first. Then we'll find your tutor room, what was it again?" Carmen said.

"H5." Leanna said, looking at the tiny writing on the palm of her hand. She then followed Carmen down the corridor and up three flights of stairs, to the top floor. Everything was shiny and seemed so new, even the bathrooms were quite nice.

"Oh, Leanna!" A voice called. Leanna looked up from the mirrors to see two girls standing by the changing room benches in the reflection. It was Bethany and an African-English girl, with dark hair that was braided tightly to her head, with blue beads. "I didn't know you were joining Mountview, how come you never said?" She simpered, taking Leanna's arm and leading her away from a shocked looking Carmen. "Nikki, this is Leanna, Leanna, this is Nikki." Bethany introduced them, and Nikki gave a half-hearted smile. "What were you doing all by yourself? Don't worry I'll-"

"I was showing her around, actually." Carmen interrupted, proving that some of her Burnywood toughness still remained. "C'mon Leanna, lets go."

Bethany smirked at Carmen, who folded her arms. Bethany was at least a head taller than Carmen, but the younger girl wasn't going to be pushed over easily. "Ha, I can take it from here, little year seven. I think you should run back to your little friends, although I don't see any around." Bethany replied cooly, flicking her hair over her shoulder.

"_Leanna_, let's go." Carmen repeated, turning towards the door.

Leanna gulped, not knowing what to do. Carmen had been kind enough to take her under her wing, but she couldn't hang around with a year seven all day. On the other hand, it seemed like Bethany ruled here, and she was also Liam's girlfriend, so Leanna couldn't get on her bad side. "I'll catch up with you later Carmen... The bell's about to go anyway." She ended up saying, and Carmen stalked from the room without looking back.

"Ugh, _year sevens_." Nikki groaned, picking up her blue bag from the bench.

"Carmen's alright actually." Leanna snapped, earning an interested look from Bethany. "I'm in H5. Where's that?"

It turned out that Leanna was actually in the same tutor group as Bethany and Nikki. The desks in the class room seemed to be split into four tables, which immediately made the different social groups clear. There was the class populars, which only had two girls sitting at it, but Bethany and Nikki soon joined them. They were in the middle of the class room, and were all very pretty. The next table was full of about 12 boys who had pulled up chairs, and at that moment they were talking loudly, while half of them were passing about a muddy football. Leanna spotted Liam in that group straight away. He didn't even look up. In the far corner was the unpopulars of the class, and they consisted of three girls and two boys. two of the girls and one of the guys were intently reading books, while the other two awkwardly sat there, trying to ignore the sniggers that were coming from Bethany's table. Lastly there was what seemed to be the normal people in the hierarchy, but they didn't look up at Leanna. It was almost as if she was invisible, until Bethany called her over.

* * *

><p>Lunch came around pretty quickly. Leanna had suffered through Maths (which she had been put in the bottom set for, which made her realise that she should have carried on with her attempt to get smarter) and Spanish, which had been her favourite lesson, unlike most people. Now she was sitting at a picnic bench with Bethany and her friends, eating what was meant to be a burger. The girls at the table were all very pretty. Ellie was by far the most beautiful. She had blonde chin length hair which was slightly curly, an even skin tone and big blue eyes, with full lips. She seemed the nicest, and although she was the prettiest, it was clear that Bethany had the biggest ego. Her hair was straight today, and her face was thinner and more pointed than Ellies, and her skin whiter with pink cheeks from the cold. There was Courtney with her brown hair in a messy bun, who was applying mascara to her eyelashes, which framed lovely green eyes. Nikki was texting, Leanna and Ellie seemed to be the only ones eating.<p>

pulling her blazer tighter around her, Leanna followed Bethany through the grounds, towards the science block. She didn't know where they were going, and it seemed Ellie didn't either. Bethany said nothing though, and walked behind the science blocks, where the grass ended. In the corner by the fence, stood about four or five people. They all seemed a little older than Leanna, and looked like they belonged in Hillside School.

The four girls joined the huddle, and Leanna was curious as to why they were there. Since when was Bethany friends with these sort of people? As if she had heard what Leanna was thinking, Bethany leaned over. "They're mates of my sister. Got kicked out of Hillside, and this school offered to take them, on the warning that if they're caught doing anything they're out." She whispered, smiling slightly. Then as quick as lightning, her hand slipped into her blazer pocket and she pulled out a little packet. "Here, Felicity got you this." Bethany said, passing the packet to one of the older looking boys. It was definitely some type of drug, but Leanna couldn't work out which.

"Cheers babe." The boy said, and he turned to look at Leanna. He had blue eyes and short blonde hair, covered by the black hoodie he was wearing. His eyebrow was pierced and he was overall kind of scary looking. "I know you... you used to go to Hillside!" He said, looking at her. "What did you get kicked out for?"

Leanna paused, unsure of what to say. She didn't really want to mention she got moved because of a care home, and one of the boys was absentmindedly flicking a pen knife in his hand. "Uh... caught smoking during class." She mumbled quickly, avoiding his eyes. He chuckled, and Bethany looked at her with admiration.

"Leanna and I are best friends, Michael." Bethany said, smiling and taking Leanna's arm. Leanna nodded, trying not to smirk. Bethany was such a suck up.

Michael just pulled out a pack of cigarrettes from his pocket and handed them around. "To getting out of that hell hole." He laughed, flicking his lighter and then taking a drag. Leanna stared nervously at hers, her eyes flicking to the others who were each lighting their cigarettes. She had promised herself she would never smoke, after seeing the effects on her mum. But all promises were going to be broken in the end though, that's what Leanna thought at least. Out of the corner of her eye she could see three people standing not too far away. Frank was standing with Liam, who had a football under one arm. Carmen was in the middle of plaiting her hair, and all three of them were staring, their eyes boring into her. But who cared what they thought? Liam was ignoring her, Frank was bound to follow him after a while and Carmen couldn't control her.

"Don't embarrass me." Bethany hissed at her, and with that she raised the cigarette to her lips.

* * *

><p>The week passed fairly slowly, it mostly consisted of Leanna, Bethany, Courtney, Nikki and Ellie hanging around the ex-Hillside students, occasionally smoking, and the drugs that were passed over on the first encounter were never mentioned again. It was all pretty boring, especially since Frank and Carmen were now not talking to her either. That was all because of the one day that was most interesting, Thursday.<p>

Leanna had been walking to the usual spot behind the science blocks, when Frank and Liam had stopped her. "Alright Leanna?" Said Liam, keeping the ball up in the air with his feet. Leanna had replied politely, but before she could walk away quickly Frank had asked her to join them for lunch.

"Sure," Leanna had replied, and followed the two of them to the benches, where Liam scoffed on a plate of chips, Frank ate the terrible burgers and Leanna had a chicken sandwich. They had actually talked, about the school, football, anything but the past weekend. It was like nothing had happened, they joked around and laughed about the worst teachers. But then Leanna had realised that Bethany would probably be waiting for her. So she left them, and promised to hang out with them tomorrow again. Liam had seemed pretty annoyed that she was ditching them for the little gang behind the science block.

She had walked pretty quickly, her mind foggy with the realisation that maybe they could continue like normal, being best friends as they had been before. her stomach was all fluttery from happiness, but that quickly vanished when she arrived behind the science block. She was partially hidden by a large oak, and had been about to walk around it when she saw something that made her stop in her tracks.

Ellie and Nikki were standing off to the side, looking slightly guilty. Courtney was flirting with one of the shorter guys, and the others were smoking as usual. But that wasn't what caught her eye. It was the fact that two people were missing from the group. Ignoring the burning feeling in her stomach, Leanna walked forwards over to Ellie.

"Do you know where Bethany is?" She asked, and the two girls looked even more guilty. "Bloody hell, just tell me!" She snapped finally, and Ellie gave in.

"Alright, she's over there." Ellie sighed, pointing towards a cluster of trees which were hidden from view by the other side of the science block. Before either of them could stop her, Leanna left, walking quickly to the tightly packed trees. At first it seemed like no one was there, but at the sound of a giggle, Leanna walked forwards slightly, and stood behind the largest tree. From where she was she could just see two people, making out. _Oh God, this is the second time I've seen them kiss. _Leanna thought to herself, remembering when Bethany had kissed Liam before leaving the weekend before. She leaned forward a bit, hearing a voice she didn't recognize.

It was Bethany and Michael.

Her heart racing, Leanna backed out of the trees, and then set off at a run towards the field, where she knew Liam would be. He had just scored a goal between two blazers, and was now running up and down the pitch, showing off. She almost laughed and forgot why she was there, but a quick flashback pushed her on. He looked slightly annoyed to be pulled away from the football game, "My team is gonna fail without my excellence in football!" He had protested, when she dragged him over to the oak.

"Look Liam, There's something you need to know." She had told him, trying to snap him out of his jokey mood. He frowned at her, and sat down on the grass, pulling at her hand to make her sit down. "When i went back to the others... there were two people gone." She began, fiddling with her purple tie, she didn't want him to get angry.

"Spit it out Leanna," He said, as Frank came to join them.

"Okay well... I weren't expecting it but... I went to the trees to find Bethany, and she... she was with Michael. And they were making out." She finished quickly, looking away to avoid their gaze. She still saw their reactions though. Frank was frowning, as if he was arguing with himself in his head. Liam on the other had was outraged. His freckled face was slowly turning red, and he stood up quickly.

"Look Leanna. I know you had a problem with lying but I didn't know you'd go this far. I ain't falling for your shit now, Bethany's not like that, alright? Just... Just fuck off, okay?!" He yelled, turning around and running back to the football match, where he was passed the ball and kicked it with so much force that the goal keeper was hit in the face and ended up with a fountain of scarlet blood running from his nose.

Frank had just stared at her, not sure what to say. He opened his mouth to speak, but then closed it and walked away, back to the game as well.

**A/N Ugh this one took me ages, I wrote it once, then re-wrote it, and then changed the last part! But it's finally here :) Oh and also the character Ellie looks like Hanna from Pretty Little Liars (Ashley Benson) I think she's so pretty! anyone seen the latest episode? Shocking :O**

**Please review :)**


	26. Unexpected

**A/N: Okay guys read this before the chapter- I'm not going to give anything away but if you're upset easily or don't like mentions of blood or harm, then please stop reading about 3 quarters of the way down :) I'll put something there.**

~Chapter 26 - Unexpected~

It was chilly, as October usually is. The gravel was now a carpet of coppery leaves, and there was some frost dusted on the tips of the grass under the massive Elm tree. Leanna sat on the bench by the front door, watching the humming cars occasionally drive by. Nobody really went out the front, so it was nice and quite, and everyone was inside anyway. They were all preparing the house for the arrival of Tee who was coming back from a foster family that didn't want Johnny. Leanna would have joined in- but nobody was really talking to her. Carmen, Frank, Liam were ignoring her and even Harry had taken to shaking his head at her when she passed. He didn't even know what was happening! Sapphire was indifferent, she didn't want to get involved.

_"Look Leanna. I know you had a problem with lying but I didn't know you'd go this far. I ain't falling for your shit now, Bethany's not like that, alright? Just... Just fuck off, okay?!" _Leanna hadn't been lying though. She was telling the truth, but it wasn't entirely Liam's fault for not believing her. He had dealt with her lies before, but shouldn't he at least know she wouldn't sink as low as to try and sabotage his relationship? She _had_ seen Bethany snogging Michael.

"I never really liked planning parties either." A voice said, and Leanna felt someone sit down on the bench beside her. "I always preferred to just show up, y'know?" It was Seb. Leanna nodded, sighing. 

"They don't need my help." She replied, narrowing her eyes. "Why are you here?" It sounded rude but she would much rather be alone right now, although Seth was one of the nicest care workers. 

"I just told you..." He said softly, turning to look at her. "Why aren't you, Liam and Frank talking?" He asked, his brown eyes boring into the side of her head. Leanna considered telling him for a moment, it couldn't hurt to confide in someone. But he was an adult and most importantly a care worker... but she still needed someone to talk to. 

"They don't believe me about something big that I told them... so they're ignoring me." Leanna told him, fiddling with her hair.

"Why wouldn't they believe you though?" Seth asked. 

Leanna pulled her hair to the side and started fishtailing it, nerves bubbling in her stomach. It felt weird to talk about her past with someone other than Sapphire or Liam. "I... I grew up telling lies to protect myself and the people I love, it became a habit a'ight? They've both dealt with it before and they think I still do. I'm trying not to, you know!" She mumbled, and it all came out in a rush. "I just accidentally saw Liam's girlfriend and this other guy kissing. I told Liam and he don't believe me, and Frank doesn't know whether he believes me or not and Carmen's just not talking to me and I think I'm getting in with the wrong crowd in school and I don't want a repeat of Hillside School!"

Seth looked suprised, and turned around to properly face her. He ran a hand over his short hair and frowned. "You talk fast, you know." He chuckled, and Leanna couldn't help but smile. "Okay, I understand that it's not your entire fault that you have a problem with lying... but shouldn't you make it clear to Liam that you don't intend to hurt him? I've noticed that he holds grudges unlike Toby... so he's a little harder to earn forgiveness from."

"I don't need his forgiveness. Actually, I should be the one to forgive him!" Leanna said stubbornly, and Seth laughed. "Anyway, I noticed you and Tracy seem to have a thing." She added, winking. Seth cringed but a slight blush crept up on his cheeks.

"Okay, I admit I really like her. But nothing can happen now." He said, his eyes widening when he realised he had said too much.

"What?!" Leanna gasped. "Why? What happened?" She questioned, hitting him over and over again on the arm when he didn't answer.

"I'm leaving this job... today. I want to travel with my band! We can help kids that way, with our songs! I want her to come with me. But I don't think she will... and what will Toby think?" Seth sighed, his smile falling, and the shine leaving his brown eyes. Leanna couldn't help but feel sorry for him. Toby adored Seth, and Tracy did as well. Leanna did like Tracy, and she did think that her and Seth were cute. But did she want them both leaving? They all needed at least one younger care worker who understood them.

"I think... I think you should follow your heart. Good luck I guess." Leanna said, smiling, and she left her spot at the bench and went inside.

* * *

><p>Leanna spent the next hour in her room, engrossed in her sketch book. This time she was trying to draw a ballerina, but the face was proving hard. Sighing, Leanna dropped the pencil onto the bed beside her and stretched out her legs, giving up for a while. It was quarter to two, and Tee was due back in fifteen minutes. Leanna got up and pulled a white hoodie over her head, she reckoned that she might as well go downstairs to say hello. But before she could reach the door she was interrupted by a knock, and she stepped out of the way as the door opened to reveal a tall man standing in front of her.<p>

"Josh?" She said, looking up at her brother. He was wearing casual clothes this time, a pair of chinos and a blue polo shirt. He grinned at her, the corners of his blue eyes crinkling.

"Alright Leanna?" He greeted, pulling her in for a hug. Leanna squeezed him tight, breathing in the smell of his aftershave. She hadn't seen him in a few weeks, and as he cuddled her the memories of that day flooded back to her. how he didn't want to foster her, how he had pretended to have come straight from the airport to see her... and suddenly, it didn't matter. He was family.

They walked downstairs together, Josh had said he was taking her out for the afternoon. Leanna had jumped at the chance, after all she could always say hello to Tee later. As they passed the lounge, Leanna stopped suddenly, seeing Liam playing pool with Frank. He looked up and their eyes met, but then he raised his eyebrows, silently letting her know he thought she was a joke. Her heart flipped and she walked inside, smiling at Sapphire. "Sapph can you please tell Tee that I say hey? My _brother's _going to take me out for the afternoon." She said loudly.

She felt a satisfying feeling when Liam's grip on the pool cue tightened and he missed the white ball by a centimeter. Talking about family had always been a touchy area for him. But before he could say anything in return she flounced out of the room, took Josh's hand and pulled him towards the office, to let Mike know that she was going out with Josh.

* * *

><p>"30 seconds!" Leanna yelled out, checking her watch. She was sat outside a pretty little cafe, twirling spaghetti on her fork. Josh was sat opposite her, chugging down a can of redbull. He grinned at her and dropped the empty can onto the table, before letting out a loud burp. Leanna cringed at him, laughing.<p>

"Told you I'm the best at this. Your turn!" He replied, gesturing to the tall glass of vanilla milkshake that sat next to Leanna's plate. She looked from the glass to him and back again in shock.

"No way am I going to try and chug that!" She gasped, bursting into a fit of laughter. He grinned at her and stole a sip from the milkshake. "So, how is Jonah?" Leanna asked, regaining her breath. Josh's face seemed to light up at the mention of his young son. Jonah was Leanna's nephew, and was a year and four months now, and she had only met him a month ago.

"Getting well more naughty as they days go on! Yesterday he found the washing up soap and poured it all down the toilet!" Josh laughed, shaking his head in amusement. "The little rascal, I can tell he's gonna be a handful when he's older. Anyway... It's your birthday in a couple of days, isn't it!" Josh said suddenly, sitting up.

Leanna stared at him for a moment, and sighed. "No, my birthday is in January. It's only October... It's mums birthday, not mine." She said quietly, and though she felt slightly bad for being annoyed that he didn't know her birthday, she couldn't help feeling so disappointed. He'd always remembered her birthday before. She was his sister! How could he get that mixed up so easily? Her mind flashed to Liam. It was his birthday next month, he was turning fifteen.

The atmosphere changed from happy to uncomfortable in the blink of an eye. "Oh." Josh said, shifting awkwardly in his seat. "Must've got it mixed up then." Leanna fidgeted. She had noticed how his eyes kept flickering to the scar on her cheek. _If only it would go away_. She thought, sighing. They ate in silence for the next few minutes, until Josh suddenly spoke up again. "Well... why don't we go visit Mum then? Since it's her birthday... soon." He suggested, looking slightly hopeful. Josh had always loved their Mum best. Even though she was always high on drugs or what not, she still adored him too, and he'd spend ages making her a huge fancy dinner on her birthday when their Dad was out at the pub. Leanna hadn't been so fond of her Mum._ He had probably loved his mother more than Leanna..._ She thought, sighing.

_"Daddy, what's wrong with Mummy?" A little girl of about seven sat on the living room rug, her legs crossed. In her hands was her favourite Barbie- the one with long golden locks and blue eyes, and she was wearing a puffy Victorian dress. The Barbie was a contrast against the girl. She had jet black hair that was in curls down to her shoulders, and her skin was tanned against her green eyes. She wore a just simple dungarees over a t-shirt._

_"Go ask her yourself." A tall man with shaved blonde hair sat in the sofa opposite the girl, a beer can in his hand. The little girl nodded and skipped from the room, trailing the doll behind her. She hopped up the stairs one by one, making her Barbie climb up the banisters. Her Mum's room was the first door on the left, and it was open a crack. The girl rarely went in her mother's room. She was always told that 'Mum liked her privacy' and it was a rule not to be broken. But this time it was different, Daddy had said I could.  
>The lamp in the corner was on, casting an eerie glow over the red walls. The woman was hardly noticeable in the corner on the chair. Her black hair was tied in a messy bun and looked like it hadn't been washed in days. Her clothes were covered in stains, and the room was a complete mess.<em>

_Covering her nose to block out the smell, the little girl slowly crept over to her mother, stepping carefully over the mess. The tingles of fear were starting to increase. "Mummy?" She squeaked, and the woman looked up. Her brown eyes were like tunnels, and her dark skin was sunken. _

_"Daddy said I could ask you a question. What's wrong with you?" The girl said confidently, staring up into her mothers face._

_SLAP_

_Just like that, her mother's hand lashed out and smacked across the little girls face, sending her crashing to the floor. She screamed and burst into tears, her little hand covering the red mark that covered her cheek. "I dunno who said there was 'sumfin wrong wiv' me." The woman slurred, getting up. "There ain't 'nuffin wrong wiv' me you mark my words, yeah?"_

_"I'm sorry Mummy!" The little girl whispered, tears glistening on her cheeks. _

_Her mother stood still for a moment, and stared at her daughter. Then without warning she was screaming, yelling, crying, pulling out her hair and shaking her head, shouting at the top of her voice. "MUM!" A voice shouted, and an 18 year old boy stumbled into the room, still in his army uniform. He cradled the crying woman in his arms, rocking her back and forth and telling her it was okay. "Leanna! You know you're not allowed in here! Look what you've done! Get out!" He yelled. Feeling so guilty, the little girl ran out of the room, scarred by that experience._

When she got older Leanna realised what was really wrong with her mother, and why she didn't get better. Josh had tried repeatedly to get her help, but the woman would not give in. She even resorted to violence to stay in that tiny room of hers. Only sometimes Leanna saw her normal, and when she wasn't high, she was going out clubbing or to the pub. 

"Okay, fine." Leanna agreed, sighing. **About here.**

They took the bus together, and both were silent the entire time. Leanna didn't know what to expect when she got back to her old house. With her Dad in jail, how was her Mum coping? Did she even live there anymore? All her questions were answered when the bus stopped next to Parker Road. She could see the house from where she was, on the corner of the curving road. It looked empty. She almost turned back but Josh was already walking determinedly ahead, so she ran after him to catch up.

Josh pulled out his keys, and unlocked the blue door. Looking around her, Leanna could almost feel the events that had last happened there. Liam coming to return her stuff, her Dad attacking them, and then Leanna hiding in Elm Tree House. They both held their breath, it was silent apart from the sound of the wind rustling the bushes behind them. The door swung open to reveal the hallway. Immediately the stench of beer hit them, making Leanna recoil in disgust. It looked like no one had been there in days. There was litter on the floor and the cream carpet was covered in a layer of dust. The photo frames that had once lined the wall were either smashed or gone. Only one remained intact, and it was of Leanna aged five, with her parents and Josh, at a friends house party. Leanna's stomach lurched, and she looked away quickly.

"What the hell happened here..." Josh whispered, taking his sisters hand. They smiled nervously at each other and then began the climb upstairs. Leanna's eyes drifted to her bedroom at the end of the landing. The door was wide open and had a massive dent in it. Everything was like she had left it, the last time she had been there, and that had been almost a year ago. She felt a tug on her arm, and turned to follow Josh, who was opening the door to his old room. It was completely destroyed. The bed sheets were sprawled across the room, smashed vodka bottles littered the floor and everything in the room was damaged in some way. The walls were covered with graffiti, spelling out badly spelled insults.

Someone had tried to clean up though. A lot of the rubbish was gathered in one corner, and it looked like someone had been scrubbing at the walls. Josh shrugged, his face emotionless. Then they left the room and crossed the hall again, and opened the door to the main bedroom.

"Oh shit." Leanna breathed. This room was the worst out of all of them. It looked like someone had dropped a bomb in the room. Josh let out a strangled cry and dropped Leanna's hand. He stumbled across the room to a figure in the corner, who was slumped across the floor.

Her black hair was plastered to her face and her eyes were half closed and empty looking. She lay in Josh's arms, breathing heavily, but not speaking. Her clothes were stained with blood, her body was skinny and weak.

It almost wasn't real. Leanna walked over, struggling to take hold of what was happening. The world spun around her as she dropped to her knees in front of the mother, her hands fumbling for her phone. Josh was breathing so fast, his face set in stone, as he tried to stop the blood from flowing from the deep cuts in the woman's wrist. She looked up at him, a little bit of light returning to her eyes. "Joshua." She managed to say, and smiled. "I'm so sorry... I couldn't clean up your room, babe." She said, and a single tear dropped from Josh's eye. Leanna swore, listening to the dialing tone on her phone.

Her mother realised what Leanna was trying to do, and let out a raspy scream. "No!" She cried, thrashing about in Josh's arms. "Stop it! I wont go! Don't do this Josh don't do it! Please! I hate you! I hate you all!" Josh held her still, his eyes boring into Leanna's, telling her to do it, to not make the mistake he made over and over again. Leanna nodded and took a deep breath.

"Ambulance please."

**A/N: How was it? I haven't updated it in ages! School is so tiring :( Hope you like this chapter & please review and/or give me constructive criticism :) Oh yeah and is anyone willing to tell me what happens in the last episode of TBR? It's not on youtube I cant watch it :(**


	27. A Day in The Country

**A/N: Okay so I decided I'd try a chapter where some parts are in Liam's POV, but not in first person. Not sure how it went, please leave me a review telling me if it was okay or how i could improve please? :) **

~Chapter 27 - A (Very Eventful) Day in the Country~

(Liam's POV)

Liam chucked another shirt into his rucksack, and then changed his mind and pulled it out to make space for his iPod. The Dumping ground were all going on a trip to the countryside- one of Gina's ideas to try and ease the tension. It wouldn't work- it was a worse idea than one of their surprise bowling trips, and they were pretty bad. plus they had all been woken up at eight in the morning, Johnny doesn't even get up that early for his morning spring clean!

"C'mon Liam, we're all waiting! Hurry up!" Tracy yelled from the other side of the door, before opening it with a crash and snatching the rucksack from the bed and walking out, not even a backwards glance.

"What is this, piss off Liam month?" Liam muttered to himself. He grabbed his hoodie from the bedpost and gave himself a few moments to 'cheer up' before leaving the room and bounding after Tracy.

The tension in Elm Tree house had been building up ever since Elektra came. The blue haired freak had decided to attack Liam and threw him over the pool table when she caught him off guard- it had been all the kids fault anyway. They had all looked at him when she had asked who was in charge, and although it felt good to have everyone look up to him, he wasn't going to fight their battles. Especially when he got no thanks in return.

Before Elektra had come, Liam had made the stupid decision to tell Leanna how he felt about her. She had temporarily lost her memory and as far as he knew she didn't remember anything from that day thankfully. The second most important rule if you're in care? _Never_ get too attached to anyone.

Then Liam had asked out Bethany. It had seemed like a foolproof plan to him. Hook up with Bethany, and get over Leanna. Simple right? Not at all. Bethany was hot and she could be great, but overall she was just another bitch who liked to manipulate people and thought she was the best thing next to football. WellLiam had always been better at business plans.

Things had only gotten worse when he had talked to Leanna about Bethany and she had seemed genuinely happy for him. That obviously meant she only saw him as a friend, great. He was beginning to thank God (if there even was one) that he had admitted how he felt to Leanna when she was not right in the head... but then he had laughed at himself for stressing about girls. And no sooner had he done that, he went and almost kissed her. He had been caught up in the moment, but it had screwed things up even more. And then Leanna went and accused Bethany of cheating on him. Then Johnny and Tee had a failed foster family which brought everyone's moods down. Now nobody was talking to anybody, and Mike and Gina thought they were being clever by arranging this trip.

As they crowded onto the bus, Tracy deliberately took the last paired seat with Gus, leaving the back four seats for Frank, Liam, Leanna and whoever was unfortunate enough to be stuck next to them, who turned out to be Toby. "Right guys, let's make this as fun as our last trip was!" Mike bellowed, almost skipping down the front garden, like Johnny would when potential foster parents were coming over and there was plenty of opportunities to show off his and Tee's cleaning skills. 

The last trip Elm Tree had been on was too the beach, and it had started off a disaster. In the end it had been pretty cool, and it had been the first time Liam had seen the sea. Not that it was that special though. This time Gina had insisted on using paper maps and she looked disturbingly cheerful, along with Tracy who was talking about how much she loved camping. _Yeah right._ they might as well have started a sing along while they were at it.

Surprisingly, the younger kids started to cheer up, and an excited chatter started. There was still a stony silence at the back of the bus, until Tracy turned around. "You guys are going to have to talk at some point! You're never going to sort anything out if you keep quiet." She said, grinning. _Well done, Captain State the Obvious. _Toby squirmed in his seat, opening and closing his mouth like a fish. Finally he said something.

"So, Leanna... does it... hurt?" He asked, gesturing nervously to the side of his face. He was referring to her scar- why not just rename him Tactful Toby, eh?

"No." Leanna said, crossing her arms. The back of the bus delved into an awkward silence again, and Tracy gave an exasperated sigh.

The journey was only about three hours along, (not counting the stops that were made for Tee to chuck up everything she had ever eaten) and once they had reached a parking lot, Mike had insisted that everyone do their part and carry the tents and other supplies. They had trekked for ten minutes until they came across a clearing, which had already been set up with an obstacle course and tent pegs and a barbecue under a marquee.

"Right, Team A, over here please!" Called Mike, as the kids took a paper each from the hat.

"And Team B, this side yeah." Said Gina. Liam nodded as he surveyed his team, satisfied. They would win for sure, and even better; Elektra and Leanna were on Team B. Now there was no way he could lose. Frank was looking quite annoyed, but knowing him he wasn't too bothered about losing. First they had to do an obstacle course, which consisted of running through tires, climbing a wall of rope, across a plank of wood and under a rope net and then sprinting to the finish line through hanging sacks. . Liam's team won easily, it was all about strategy. When you get to the rope wall, stop at the top and help the next team mate over. That way no one got stuck, it was simple, you just had to be a quick planner. Of course Elektra thought that she had won, and started gloating along with her team. Liam was going to enjoy this.

"No, I don't think so." Liam sneered, grinning and pointing to little Harry, who was being helped across the plank of wood by Tracy. To be honest Liam was pretty glad he didn't have Harry, his team was quite good apart from Johnny, but he could put up with him for a while at least.

"No man gets left behind. Not in my team, yes?" Gina told her. _Yes Gina!_ Liam grinned, laughing quietly to himself. It was always hilarious to see Elektra get owned. And owned by Gina? Even better. Gina lifted Harry into the air and spun him around - bad idea - and twisted her ankle while doing so. Toby ran to the rescue as usual, while Elektra just smirked.

The younger kids were playing tag along with Sapphire (surprisingly, and he would use that for piss take in the future), and Liam stood around, not sure whether to join in or not. Out of the corner of his eye he could see that Leanna was talking quietly to Frank under the little marque. "That kid gives in way too easily." Liam grumbled to himself, but his bad mood was quickly turned around when he saw both Carmen and Toby fall face first into some animal's shit._ Perfect, even more stuff for taking the piss!_

After naming Tracy the new leader of Team B (the look on Elektra's face was priceless!) Mike announced that the next task was a 5 kilometer trek. After seeing Team B fail so much in the space of a couple of hours, Liam couldn't wait to win this challenge and humiliate them even more. Except Frank of course, he would be nice to him about it. In fact, this was the most enthusiastic Liam had been all morning.

"Sure you'll be alright, stuck with them two?" Liam had said to Frank.

"I'll be alright, c'mon, Leanna's our mate! But who cares who's in my team? I'm still gonna beat you!" Frank grinned, and Liam found himself smiling despite what Frank had said about Leanna. 

"Nah I don't think so mate, i'll win hands down. Right, let's make a bet. If I win, you've got to give Elektra a massive hug and tell her that you'll always be there for a girly chat." 

Frank laughed, and shook his head. "Alright, its on. And if you lose, You have to talk things out with Leanna... and then let Johnny win at every game of pool you play for a month." Frank said. Ooh, that was a harsh bet. Talking to Leanna and letting Johnny win? There was no way he could lose. The two shook on their bet, and headed their separate ways with their teams.

* * *

><p>(Normal POV)<p>

Two hours later, and Leanna was somewhere in the middle of no where, stuck with Elektra, Carmen and Toby. "It should be around...here!" Elektra said, as they came upon the beginning of a bridge. Elektra had changed the map so it would seem like Tracy had gotten them lost, so she and the younger kids along with Frank would turn back. Now they were following a short cut, and had found the bridge. Carmen still wasn't talking to her, but on the bright side Elektra wasn't being as hostile.

"Now what?" Carmen sighed, as their path was blocked by a door.

"We'll just get rid of the rope!" Said Elektra, as she untangled it. It was obviously there for a reason, but if it meant winning, then Elektra didn't care. Leanna wasn't complaining, to be honest she was almost as desperate to win as Elektra was. It was funny how a simple challenge and an argument could bring out the competitive side in people. The door swung open to reveal the rest of the bridge, and to say it looked unstable would be an understatement.

"Elektra don't! It doesn't look safe, come back!" Toby cried, watching in horror as Elektra started to cross the bridge. Leanna peered over the edge, watching the rushing of the rapids in the river. If anyone fell, there was no way they would survive it.

"See? I told you it was fine! Who's next?" Elektra called to them, as she reached the end of the bridge. Carmen, Toby and Leanna glanced at each other, communicating through their eyes about who would go next. Realising that both Toby and Carmen were staring at her without blinking, Leanna took the message. Taking a deep breath, she stepped onto the wooden bridge and continued to cross it, keeping hold of the rope on either side.

She reached the other side and squeezed past Elektra, who was the only one who would be able to tempt the other two over. Elektra turned to her, the map in hand. "Look, you go on ahead. Straight for about 10 meters and then a sharp left, then right after 5 meters. Wait for us at what should be..." Elektra checked the map, and then continued. "A brick wall. Go on!"

Leanna sighed and turned to follow the path that Elektra had told her of. It was nice and quiet, in the forest. She could actually think here, unlike at the Dumping Ground where all you could hear was constant chatter. Not that she really minded it though, it got annoying at times but when she thought about what life would be like if she wasn't at Elm Tree house, she realised how lucky she really was... And how lucky she was to have met Liam and Frank. Perhaps she could just apologise to them, but then she'd be giving in. She hadn't been in the wrong in the first place, it was just Liam. No, she wouldn't apologise. He'd realise she was right soon enough, when Bethany screwed him over. He deserved her anyway.

_Turn left after ten meters. Or was it right? _Leanna thought, stopping abruptly. Everything looked pretty much the same, trees, grass, mud, sky. _Probably right._ She decided, and turned sharply.

"Shit." Leanna cursed, as she stood by a red call box. There was definitely no brick wall here, unless she was blind. Just a road and a call box, loads of trees and no one in sight. She couldn't even use the call box, Mike had taken everyone's cell phones and stashed them in the van, so she was pretty much stuck. Sighing once again, Leanna sat down next to the call box and settled on making a daisy chain until someone found her, or until she was bothered to go wandering again.

* * *

><p>The crunching of footsteps caught Leanna's attention, and sitting up straight she could see two figures coming towards her. They were on the other side of the box and couldn't see her, which was a good thing when Leanna noticed it was Johnny... and Liam. She shuffled further behind the call box and stood up, not knowing what to do.<p>

"Sit! Buster, sit!" Johnny commanded. _Ah, so they had a dog with them. _

"It's making a funny noise." Liam muttered, frowning at the phone. _Idiot. _Leanna thought, stopping herself from snorting with laughter. It was kind of cute, him not knowing how to use a call box. _Shut up Leanna!_ She scolded herself.

"Yeah, well you have to put money in it!" Johnny explained.

"What, like pay as you go?"

"Yeah." Leanna said, stepping out from behind the box. Both boys jumped, and Liam's features quickly turned into a scowl while Johnny just looked plain confused.

"What the hell were you doing behind there?" Johnny questioned, and Liam just rolled his eyes and tapped a number into the phone key pad.

"Cheers mate." The middle aged man said, as he lifted the dog into the back of the truck.

The three of them waved as he drove away, and then Liam turned to Leanna. "What are you doing here?!" He demanded, the scowl still present. Leanna crossed her arms and opened her mouth to reply when they were interrupted with a shout.

"Liam, Johnny!... Leanna?" It was Mike, and he didn't look pleased.

"We was just..." Liam began to explain, but Mike interrupted.

"Don't talk, walk!" Mike commanded, pointing in the direction that he had just come. Then he turned to Leanna. "And Leanna, where is the rest of _your_ team?!"

Leanna shrugged, and began pulling her hair back into a pony tail as she followed Mike. "Dunno. Nice hat by the way!"

After about five minutes of walking they came upon a field full of lavender, where Lily and Gus sat with all their stuff. "Right, we are supposed to be a team! And so far all we've had is team Gus. Let's get it together, okay?" Mike said, sighing as he came to a stop by Lily and Gus. Leanna coughed loudly, standing a little bit away from the group. "Leanna... well I suppose you'll have to be part of this team now." Mike told her, but he didn't sound too annoyed, and he smiled warmly at her. "Wait... where's Sapphire?" He asked Lily, who replied that she had gone to take photos. Sighing once again, Mike took a deep breath. "SAPPHIRE!" He bellowed.

"What?" Came the annoyed reply, and Mike jumped and turned around to find Sapphire standing right behind him, a hand on her hip as she flicked through the photos on her camera. "Oh, hi Leanna!" She said, noticing the other girl. Leanna smiled and turned to follow the rest of the team back into the woods.

* * *

><p>"So, had fun with your<em> brother<em> did you?" asked Liam, scoffing. Leanna grimaced and pulled her jacket tighter around her.

"Yes actually, we had a great time." She lied, but it was obvious that she was losing her skill in lying. Liam watched her out of the corner of his eye as they trudged along behind the rest of the group.

Stuffing his hands in his pockets, he attempted to continue the conversation. "You're lying." He simply said, knowing he would get a reaction from her. She stiffened but relaxed soon enough, realising that there was no point trying to keep the story going.

"Alright. He's not allowed to see me alone because the social workers are pricks." She confessed.

"What!? Why?" Liam gasped, slightly concerned. He was right after all, family is bullshit and people always had to learn the hard way.

"He took me to see my mother. Apparently it's not allowed. When we got there she was trying to... commit suicide." Leanna said, her words getting caught in her throat. She had been asked to repeat what had happened a million times. To the paramedics, the doctors, the police, the social workers, it had soon became like repeating a script. But when it came to talking to someone who wasn't concerned about the tiny details and what weapon had been used to inflict the injuries, it was harder. She found herself waiting to be judged, for Liam to say something to spark of an argument.

"I'm sorry... I didn't know that..." Liam muttered, avoiding her gaze. She shrugged, not really knowing what to say. They carried on walking in silence for a while, listening to the hum of Gus's facts on the previous question cards they had picked up.

"enjoying school with your new mates then?" Liam said, and there was an edge to his voice. Leanna could tell this was a touchy topic, exactly why he had brought it up.

"Why do you care?" She snapped, folding her arms and fiddling with her coat.

"Dunno... just always thought you weren't into that kind of stuff, y'know?" He said, it was obvious to her what he was hinting at. He was talking about the time she had tried a cigarette, something she had promised not to do. Her group of friends were trouble, and they both knew it.

"And what? I didn't know you were into lying cheaters." Leanna retorted, _referring to his girlfriend, Bethany._ That would get to him, she thought.

Apparently not. "Nah, I just seem to make the mistake of trusting crappy liars." He replied, sneering. "Like you." He added, gave her a cold glare and jogged ahead to catch up with Sapphire, leaving Leanna standing there, her mouth hanging open.

* * *

><p>The smell of eggs caught their attention and the group soon found their way back to the clearing where Gina was cooking under the marquee. "Looks like we beat them!" Liam cheered, running over to the deck chairs and collapsing onto one and resting his hands behind his head. Leanna sat down next to Sapphire and looked through her photos with Lily. They were pretty and of course arty, but as Lily had said, it was weird how there weren't any people in them.<p>

"Alright then," Sapphire grinned, lifted the camera and took a surprise picture, catching Leanna and Lily looking shocked, Liam sleeping on the deck chairs, Gus looking very confused and Gina explaining to Mike about the missing sausages with very odd hand gestures.

"Hey losers!" Johnny grinned, pointing to the rest of group B, who trudged into the marquee.

"Thought you was gonna beat us back eh, haha!" Liam scoffed, grinning at the weary kids.

"Leanna! How did you.." Tracy began, noticing Leanna on the deck chairs.

Mike shook his head, smiling fondly. "Long story," He told her. "Good day? Wait, don't tell me. Why don't you get washed up and you can tell us over tea." He said, and Leanna watched out of the corner of her eye as Frank ran over to Liam and spoke with him, a serious look on his face. Pulling off her jacket, she sat up as Mike came over and sat down next to her. "The hospital called Gina." He began, his calming Irish accent making it seem like nothing could be wrong. "They say your mother is in a critical condition, but they think she'll pull through. But Leanna, here's the thing... They're going to have her checked up and they think they can do something about her... problems." Leanna nodded, a small feeling of relief washing over her. "Rehab is too expensive as you know, and the council won't pay, so they're thinking about counselling, and keeping her in the hospital for a while. About your brother, well... I think it's for the best Leanna." He said quietly, gave that adult-like comforting smile and patted her on the back before walking back to join Gina.

* * *

><p>Later that day, all of the Dumping Ground were sitting under the marquee, enjoying Gina's meal of cooked eggs and tomatoes. Carmen was describing her story of falling through the bridge and almost falling in, whilst Elektra looked awfully guilty. Leanna was starting to feel glad she got lost so didn't have to get caught up in that mess, but having said that she had a few complications of her own to work out. A quiet cough made her jump, and she turned in her chair. Liam had somehow ended up a little bit behind her, and he sat back in his chair, a smirk on his lips.<p>

"Looks like Elektra got what she deserved." Liam said, his eyes flicking to Elektra who was storming off to the girls tent. Leanna just shrugged and turned around, but he caught her shoulder and turned her back. "I was just worried, y'know. They're the wrong crowd to get mixed in with." He said, and his face was completely serious.

"This isn't the place to talk about this Liam." Leanna said firmly, jumping slightly when he took her hand and stood up. That little jolt fired through her arm, but she ignored it and followed him behind the tents, where they sat cross legged on the grass.

"Like I said before, they're the wrong crowd. You know what your old school was like Leanna, and they ain't changing just cos Mountview isn't as chavvy. I know stuff about them, and you're not stupid. Nobody even really likes them anyway."

Leanna let him finish, and pulled out grass as she spoke. "I'm not gonna pretend I'm happy with them anymore, Liam." She said, looking up at his face. "But what can I do? I'm Bethany's new _best friend_. And... and speaking of her... okay look, I know I've lied before. I know I make up shit and I don't know when to shut up sometimes but I wouldn't lie to you Liam, I really wouldn't." She said, speaking faster and faster as she carried on.

"I believe you."

"What?!" She said, shutting up.

"I believe you Leanna. I was in denial, a'right? C'mon, what guy wants to hear their girlfriend is cheating on them? But then Frank told me everything you told him and he seemed pretty convinced. I trust Frank, and... I trust you too. So I believe you, but you've got to do one thing. Stop being a div and come hang out with me at lunch, a'right?" He said, smiling sadly. Leanna nodded, sighing a little. It felt good that he believed her, finally. She owed a lot to Frank.

"I'm sorry." She laughed, smiling back at him. "Let's just stop with this fighting. And the insults, okay?"

"C'mon Leanna... y'know I love you." He smirked, his brown eyes crinkling as he grinned.

Leanna stood up and brushed the grass off of her jeans. "I know you do Liam. You just have a strange way of showing it." She replied, before looking as if she was considering something. Then she bent down and kissed his cheek, before walking away, her arms tightly folded.

Liam stood up, his mind suddenly reeling backwards to the month when she had lost her memory. She had been wearing her hair the same today, it always looked nice like that. Pulled into a curly pony tail with two strands of curly hair to frame her face. It made her look prettier, he thought, watching her as she sat down by Sapphire. She should wear her hair like that more. And smile more, she had a nice smile.

_You sound soppy, Liam. _He thought and laughed quietly at himself. Then he stuffed his hands in his pockets and sauntered over to Frank to not only thank him, but rub it in his face how he had won the bet and that Frank now had to give Elektra a hug and tell her that he was always there for a girly hug. Why did the boy even attempt to beat him? He was Liam the Unbeatable. Except when it came to the Dumping Ground's ice cream eating competitions. Somehow Harry always won that. That, along with girls, didn't make any sense at all.

**A/N: Please leave a review:)**


	28. A Trip to the Hospital

******A/N: Hello :) I hope you enjoy the chapter, and please leave a review.**

**A Trip to the Hospital**

"Did the school get cooking tips off Tracy or something?" Leanna sighed, pushing the plate of watery mashed potato away from her. Liam chuckled, scoffing his sandwich, while Frank shared the same distaste as Leanna for the food. It was almost the end of term now, only twoE weeks to go, and all the kids couldn't wait for the holidays.

"I wish we could go somewhere for Christmas." Liam sighed, pulling off his tie and chucking it on the bench next to him.

"Me too." Frank muttered, but all three knew that was impossible, care homes never had holidays. The best they could do was take them camping, and once a few years back when Liam first came to Elm Tree, they had stayed at a farm house, although it had turned out a disaster.

"N'aww, poor things." A voice simpered, and the three turned around to be faced by Bethany. She stood with her arms crossed, her face set in a frown. Ellie, Nikki and Courtney stood behind her, whispering to each other. "I'm off to Spain this Christmas with Courtney for my birthday. I was gonna bring you and Leanna along, y'know Liam." She said, sighing as she shrugged. "But... things are different now."

Bethany had her parents wrapped around her finger to say the least. She lived on Courtmoor Road, which was known to have the biggest and fanciest houses in the area, and Bethany's family happened to have the biggest house. Her sister had moved out and was living with her boyfriend (Leanna found herself wondering why you'd move out of such an amazing house) and her brother, who was in year 11, was one of the smartest people in Mountview Secondary, had the whole of the third floor to himself.

"_Holy crap_." _Leanna stared up at the house before her, eyes wide with amazement._

_"Yeah my Dad is a manager of this massive company that makes tools or some shit." Bethany muttered and strutted down the front path, the keys jingling as she pulled them from her pocket. Realising she looked like an idiot gaping up at the house, Leanna walked forwards down the paved path and walked through the door, making sure to take off her shoes like Bethany was. The floor was some kind of marble and gleamed proudly as Leanna walked through the hall, while massive framed photos stared down at her. "Wait till you see my room." Bethany added, and ran upstairs. Taking one last look around her, Leanna followed Bethany up three flights of stairs to the attic. The ceiling was sloped and had a large window in it, which Bethany said was great at night. Low lights hung around the room, making it glow. She had a four poster bed with white transparent cloth draped over it, and blue twinkling fairy lights were slung around it. Bethany grinned and flopped down onto her bed, scattering pillows everywhere. "Like it?" She asked, but she already knew the answer. Leanna shuffled across the room, feeling the softness of the blue rug beneath her feet. She had a balcony, with views which faced a field. Her desk was in one corner with a pin board above it, and with a slight jolt of happiness Leanna realised that she was in one of the pictures pinned up, but only one. Liam was in most of the others. Turning around, Leanna was faced with Bethany's cupboard doors, which Bethany eagerly opened. A walk in closet. _

_This girl had it all.  
><em>

"You'd have probably hooked up with every guy there whether I went or not though, so whatever." Liam grumbled, suddenly not as interested in his sandwich. Leanna shifted uncomfortably, selfish thoughts coming over her as she thought of the idea of going to Spain. She had never left the country and she was pretty sure Liam or Frank hadn't either.

"Suit yourself. Have a _great_ Christmas." She laughed coldly, turned, and stalked away. Ellie hesitated for a moment, before waving and running after Bethany. Sighing, Leanna hopped off the bench and tugged at Frank's collar.

"C'mon guys, we've got to attempt the maths homework before the end of lunch." She commanded. Mrs Byrne was horrible. She would hand out detentions like there was no tomorrow. You laugh at a snide remark? Detention. You make the snide remark? Double detention. You 'forget' a homework? Lunch and after school detention. She would even give detentions if she caught you running in school.

* * *

><p>As soon as Leanna walked through the front door, Mike had caught her. "Leanna, we've been told by the hospital that it's okay to visit your Mum now. So we decided that we'd take you today... is that alright?" He rushed, grabbing his coat from the peg. Bewildered, Leanna nodded, trying to register what he had said. She was visiting her mother? It all seemed quite unreal, her being in hospital and all. It was if she sort of didn't exist... which made Leanna feel horribly guilty.<p>

"Yes... okay." She replied, when her mind had settled. "Wait... can I bring Liam?" She asked, and Liam, who had been passing the football between himself and Frank, dropped the ball. Frank backed away, suddenly nervous at the idea of going to a hospital. Mike agreed, and with that, they set off.

* * *

><p>"She's suffering some withdrawal symptoms but it's alright to visit her." The doctor said, his eyes darting to the clipboard on his arm. They stopped at a door, and he nodded and walked away with Mike, dropping their conversation to whispers. Leanna pushed open the door, the metal handle was shockingly cold against her warm skin. The room was a blinding white and extremely simple, with just a bed, arm chair and bed-side table. It was awfully familiar, and the sight made her stiffen. Liam noticed this and took her hand, his thoughts also rewinding to when Leanna had lost her memory and had been in a room like this, not knowing how or when she got there.<p>

The woman lying on the bed looked nothing like the mother Leanna had known. With her silky hair and plump cheeks, she was almost a new person. Her eyes were closed, her long black lashes creating a shadow on her cheekbones. Her breathing was steady and it seemed like she was at peace. Liam fidgeted uncomfortably by Leanna, unsure as what to do. Walking forwards, Leanna decided to wait for her to wake up, it would be a nicer surprise, she thought. She sat down in the armchair and Liam sat on the arm rest, fiddling with his thumbs as he looked around the room.

"So, what're you gonna say to her when she wakes up?" He finally said, turning to look at her. Leanna shifted uncomfortably, she had been planning this for a while. Whenever she couldn't sleep at night, during English or when the adverts came on inbetween Strictly, Leanna had been trying to come up with topics to talk about with her mum. She had imagined how conversations would go, and to be honest it had been the most difficult thing ever. She realised during this, that for the whole fourteen years of her life, she didn't know her mum one bit.

"I don't know." She finally admitted, sighing. Liam fell silent again, and the only sound in the room was their breathing.

"Leanna?" Her mother's shocked voice broke through Leanna's thoughts, making her jump in the chair. Her mum was now leaning on her elbow, facing the two care kids. "Leanna, I wasn't expecting you! I'm so sorry, I'd 'ave gotten up and.. oh gosh, how long was I asleep? I'm so sorry babe!" The older woman rambled, sitting up properly and pushing her black hair out of her face.

Leanna sat frozen, until Liam nudged her. "Oh. Hi mum, it doesn't matter, really. How are you feeling?" She managed to say. Now she was getting the chance to talk to her mother it was much scarier than she thought.

"I've got a shit headache, and the doctor said he can't give me anything for it. I don't see why I can't just take a painkiller, honestly!" She sighed, rubbing her temples. She raised her eyes, taking a long look at Leanna. It was only then when she noticed Liam sitting by her, and her eyebrows arched in surprise. "Who are you?!" She asked.

At this Leanna laughed, and turned to Liam who jumped off of the arm rest and strolled over to the bed. "The one and only Liam O'Donovan." He greeted, and held out a hand for her to shake. Narrowing her eyes in surprise at his politeness, she shook his hand.

"I'm Ellen." She told him, and Leanna couldn't help but smile as she watched her mum smile for the first time in a while. It was almost as if she had never met her before, as if she was a stranger. It was the scars on her wrists that were covered in bandages that reminded her that this was the same woman who had tried to kill herself a few weeks ago.  
>"Leanna... look at me." Ellen said, her eyes inspecting every inch of Leanna's face, as if she was memorising her. "What happened...?" She trailed off, and all both Leanna and Liam knew what she was talking about.<p>

"Well I was running and-" She began, and with with a glance from Liam she stopped, feeling guilty. "This guy from Burnywood- a carehome I went to, he attacked me." She sighed, and turned away, her hand automatically reaching up and tracing the thin scar that marked the side of her face. Liam was smiling at her sympathetically, and her mother was frowning, but she said no more on the topic.

The room delved into an awkward silence which Liam finally broke. "Leanna's a great artist y'know." He said.

"I wish I could say you got that from me.." Ellen joked. "Bring me something next time, eh? Might make this room a little nicer." They all glanced around the room again, and the shivers ran up Leanna's back as she was once again reminded of that odd week when her mind was all jumbled up. Her mum fiddled with the blue hospital tunic they had dressed her in, and sighed longingly. "Would you also... please get me some of my things? I mean like my jewelry and make up.. they only brought my clothes here, and these are so dull!" She grumbled.

Leanna bit her lip, remembering what Mike had told her the week before, news which hadn't affected her at all to be honest. "Mum... they... the council own the house now. Dad never paid off the morgage and now that both of you don't live there and it was in such a crap state... they took it back. Dad left you in a lot of debt."

"Son of a bitch." Ellen cursed, her pretty face turning into a scowl. "When is he getting out of jail anyway? Shouldn't have married the man. He was always in the gutter. Always." She ranted, and winced as her headache got worse.

"Should I get the doctor?" Liam offered,standing up again. When Ellen nodded he turned to the door and left, leaving a silence behind him.

"He's a lovely boy, ain't he?" Cheryl smiled, her eyes trained on the door which Liam had just left through.

"Yeah." Leanna said, smiling slightly. If she could keep this going, it would be the first conversation longer than five minutes that she had ever had with her mother. "He's one of the kids from the care home."

"Oh?" Ellen said, prompting Leanna to continue.

"Well there's Mike, Gina and Tracy the careworkers, then theres Frank, he's got cerebral palsy and he's one of my best friends. And Tee as well, she's really lovely. She has a brother called Johnny. There's Toby, Harry, Gus, Carmen, Sapphire, and there's_ Elektra_." Leanna told her, grimacing when she said Elektra's name.

"I take it that you don't like this Elektra girl?" Ellen asked, and began plaiting her long black hair. Leanna watched her for a moment, realising that her she and her mum actually looked alike, unlike her Dad who looked nothing like Leanna. Ellen was slender and had brown skin which once was smooth and glowing, and almond shaped eyes which were a dark green/brown colour. Leanna had olive skin and green almond shaped eyes, with black hair that cascaded down her back in curls. On the other hand her Dad was tall and large, with a beer belly and blonde cropped hair which was almost white. His eyes were squinted and piercing blue, and according to Leanna's mum, he was once handsome. Leanna strongly doubted that.

"Well... I don't know. When she came she pushed Liam over the pool table!" Leanna grumbled, and Ellen raised her eyebrows in surprise.

"You lot have a pool table?!" She gasped. Leanna nodded, slightly amused at her mothers fascination at the fact they had a pool table. But the way she had said 'you lot' as if she was disconnected from Leanna confused her, but she told herself not to think to much into everything. "Sorry, continue babe." Ellen apologised.

"S'okay. Elektra just hates everyone, she's a right bitch. She smashed my... my statue from Nan and Granddad. But I tried to get her back, didn't really work. Anyways I don't really know whether she likes me or not, she's been decent recently though." Leanna finished, and realised that Ellen was frowning.

"The little shit broke your statue?" She hissed, crossing her arms. Leanna sighed, she knew that Ellen didn't even know about the statue before. That was another thing they had in common though- they both could be quite foulmouthed at times, but Ellen seemed to swear about people quite a lot. They both fell silent for a while, until Mike entered the room. Leanna realised then that Liam had been gone for half an hour.

"Leanna, we need to go now." He said gently, smiling at Ellen. Leanna said her goodbyes to her mother, deciding that she would come back and visit soon.

Mike seemed to be in a rush, his footsteps were quick and he was checking his phone every couple of minutes. "Mike, where's Liam?" Leanna questioned as she jogged to catch up to him.

Sighing, Mike slowed down so she could keep up. He ran his hand over his thinning hair and explained. "Frank called to say he was out at town, and if Liam could come to meet him. I thought that since it was lunch I could trust them to get us something, and of course I was wrong. Liam's in the police station and Frank's with him, we've got to go collect them." Mike told her, growing more agitated as they winded through the endless corridors. "That boy will be the death of me, I swear."

* * *

><p>"Get in the car." Mike commanded. Liam filed in after Frank and Leanna, a scowl set across his face. Frank had quietly filled her in on what had happened while Mike was briefed by the police officer. He told her that they had been outside the chippy, and there had been a long queue. So they decided to go for a walk until it shortened a bit, and had come across a mobility scooter. Liam had thought it would be fun to ride it and he had fallen off, right at the feet of a police officer and the furious owner.<p>

"The officer told me that they will call us when they've decided the dates for court." Mike told them, and by the sound of his voice, this was the angriest Leanna had ever seen him. They drove home in silence, with Mike clenching the steering wheel so tightly that his knuckles were turning white.

As soon as they reached Elm Tree House, Liam stormed from the car, slamming the door behind him. Leanna and Frank exchanged worried glances, Liam was not in a good mood. Leanna could only imagine what he'd be like before his court hearing, and she could only hope for the best.

**A/N: Anyone watching Dani in Strictly Come Dancing? I hope she wins! :3 Please leave a review guysss :D**


	29. A Christmas Surprise

**~Chapter 29 - A Christmas Surprise~**

The shopping centre had been decorated for Christmas, with lights draped from each lamp leading up to the main doors, and a massive wreath hanging high under the tower clock. Tee was excitedly taking pictures of everyone by the towering Christmas tree which stood in the middle of the car park. **  
><strong>

"Tee seems really excited about Christmas." Leanna commented, looking at Mike. He smiled fondly, watching the young girl skip around.

"Yes, but she's usually the only one. Some of these kids have had tough lifes, and Christmas makes them think of family time. It's quite a hard time of the year..." Mike sighed, shaking his head. "That's why we've got to work to make Christmas really special for them."

Leanna had to admit, Mike was one of the most understanding people she had ever met. Whether it was his many years of experience with care kids or just his personality, Leanna respected him for it. Rubbing her hands together to get some warmth, she headed inside after Gina, who was attempting to get the younger kids to form an orderly line. They were skipping and chasing and mucking about, and most likely weren't registering what Gina was saying.

"Right kids!" Mike bellowed over the noise, once everyone had been rounded up. "There's going to be 3 groups for each of us adults, and you will all have an hour and a half to buy presents. Now, I don't want to hear of any mischief," Mike looked directly at Liam. "So be on your best behaviour. Frank, Sapphire, Liam, Leanna and Elektra, you may go without an adult."

Liam let out a whoop and high - fived Frank, before they raced off to the brand new Adidas store. Sapphire pulled out a list from her handbag and began reading it, her eyes darting around at the stores as she mapped out the route she would take to buy everything. Then she walked off in the direction of Primark, only stopping to ask Leanna if she was coming. "Oh... yeah, I'll come." Leanna gasped, and gestured to Elektra to go with them. Elektra shook her head, but surprisingly she didn't seem bitter about it, and even gave her a small smile, which was rare.

* * *

><p>"One Direction T-shirt, phone case, necklace or wristband?" Sapphire questioned, twirling the display rack on its stand. She had already finished shopping for Lily, Frank, Gus, Liam, and Johnny, and was now trying to decide on a present for Carmen.<p>

"I vote wristband, she's already got the shirt and tons of necklaces that she don't wear and she loves her pink phone case." Leanna pitched in, picking out a rolled up poster of The Wanted. Leanna had finished most of her list, and now only had Frank, Sapphire, Elektra, Tee and Liam to shop for. They had each been given fifty pounds to spend on everyone, and trying to keep within budget was proving difficult.

Sapphire agreed and the two walked to the counter to pay. Realising she only had half an hour left, Leanna pulled Sapphire from the shop once they had paid, intent on getting to some kind of joke shop to look for odd presents for Frank and Liam. It was called Joe's Box and was filled with bouncy balls disguised as eggs, little robots and bubble blowing stuff. Leanna smiled slightly, remembering her first time entering this shop as a child. She was with her brother, and he wanted to buy everything he could see. Sapphire had already found what she would buy for Toby, and was chuckling in amusement at the little robot as it danced. Leanna grinned, getting distracted by the display in the window. It was a book that was perfect for Frank; 'Through the Years of Manchester United'. She reached out to take a copy when a figure running past caught her eye. Dropping the book she followed the person, with a sinking heart she realised who it was.

Tee was sitting in the corner of the bathroom, hugging her knees to her chest. She looked up as the door opened, her skin blotchy and tears rolling down her face. She didn't say anything but continued to cry quietly as Leanna sat down next to her. "Right now, Sapph is in a joke shop, playing with a toy robot." Leanna said quietly, earning a hiccupy laugh. "Mike said you were always excited about Christmas, what happened?" She then asked gently, and the eleven year old sighed.

"I saw this family... a brother and a sister, like me and Johnny, and Mum and her boyfriend. And the little girl was crying and her Dad was shouting at the brother, and all the mum did was look at her phone. And then Carmen made this comment about it, and I know she didn't mean to upset me but it reminded me so much of Christmas before the Dumping Ground." Tee sniffled, wiping the tears from her cheeks.

Leanna now understood clearly why Mike was so serious earlier. It seemed like the tiniest thing could set any one of the children off, and everyone just had to try and be careful with what they say, and be strong for the younger kids. "I... I always thought of Christmas as a time to look forwards. It's the end of the year right? So we'd all be better off thinking of the future, not the past. You never know, you might not have seen the whole picture. Maybe the girl lost her toy? Or maybe the brother was annoying her, you of all people know how siblings are. Maybe the Dad was just trying to be a strict parent. Don't let it get to you Tee..." Leanna told her, knowing full well that Tee wouldn't forget about the incident so soon.

"Maybe." She said quietly, drying her eyes.

"Y'know, a good thing about Christmas at the Dumping Ground is that there's so many people to get presents from." Leanna added, smiling slightly. "And I have a good feeling about your presents this year." Leanna stood up, offering her hands to Tee to help her to her feet. Tee splashed her face with water and then took Leanna's hand, ready to face the others again.

"I bet Johnny's going mad looking for me." She giggled.

* * *

><p>Sapphire was still in the joke shop when Leanna returned, looking at a box of paints, her hand on her hip and a bored expression on her face. "Buy your things and lets go!" She urged, picking up her shopping bags.<p>

They decided on going to Toys R Us to buy Harry's present, and cringed whilst walking in. "Someone'll see us in here." Leanna giggled, hurrying inwards from the entrance. Sapphire nodded and laughed, picking up a bouncy ball and chucking it to Leanna.

"Who cares, it's for Harry." She was silent for a moment, and picked up an interactive picture book. "What about this? Actually no." She put it down and moved to the action figure shelf, a grimace on her face. "He wouldn't like these either." Then she carried on walking, Leanna following her. Finally coming across something else, Sapphire stopped. She picked up a Lego Jungle set and inspected it, facing away from Leanna. "So, what's going on between you and Liam eh?"

The question caught Leanna off guard, and she dropped the cuddly toy she was holding. "What?"

"You heard me." Sapphire smirked, dropping the Lego set into her basket. "Pick something, c'mon."

"Oh." Leanna gulped, and decided on the elephant toy for Harry. "I don't know, to be honest. One minute he acts like he likes me, then he hates me, and now we're friends. I don't know." She blurted out, sighing loudly and fiddling with a pair of binoculars. Sapphire watched her, staying quiet. "I admit it, I like him kind of but the way he can't control his moodiness... ugh." She chucked them back on the shelf, earning a frown from the head employee.

"Maybe he isn't sure about your feelings for him, ever thought about that? S'not just about how he acts towards you." Sapphire cut in, giving her a knowing look. "You need to let him know how you feel, he's a boy! And _two _times more idiotic."

* * *

><p>"I've never eaten this much in my life." Leanna groaned, flopping onto Carmen's bed, clutching her stomach. It was Christmas Day, and the Dumping Ground had just finished it's Christmas dinner, which was by far one of the best meals Leanna had ever eaten.<p>

"Get up lazy, we've got to get ready for the party!" Carmen grinned, pulling Tee over to the dressing table and pulling out various make up bags. "I'm thinking blue eye-liner, gold eye shadow..." She muttered, whilst Tee grimaced.

Lily pulled out her straightners, and folded her arms. "Right. C'mon Leanna, you're up first." She ordered, pulling the girl from the bed and towards a bean bag. The door opened and Sapphire walked in, wearing black skinny jeans, a patterned top and a leather jacket. She folded her arms and raised her eyebrows at Tee, signalling something that the others didn't understand. Immedietly Tee jumped up from the dressing table, knocking jewelry everywhere, and skipped over to Sapphire.

"Er... sorry guys, Tracy asked us... to do a job." Tee mumbled, letting out a small giggle and then scampering away, Sapphire following.

"What was that about?" Lily commented, whilst Carmen grumbled, trying to gather all her jewelry.

* * *

><p>"C'mon Elektra the match starts in <em>5 minutes<em>!" Liam groaned, chucking a cushion at her. They all couldn't decide what Christmas TV to watch, with Cam and Tracy arguing on whether to see 'Homes in the Sun', Harry wanting to watch 'The Snowman', Liam and Frank were desperate to watch yesterdays match that they missed, Toby had one of his cartoon Christmas specials to catch up on and Elektra; who had control of the remote, was pissing them all off by flicking through the antique show channels.

"Right you lot, its present time!" Mike announced, a big grin on his face. "There were excited squeals from behind him as Carmen, Lily and Leanna squeezed into the room behind him, and everyone gathered around the coffee table, sitting on the sofas, dining chairs and the bean bags that Carmen had brought down. "Okay, we'll carry on with our tradition, the youngest go first. Gus, leave the decorations!"

"But it's not meant to be there!" Gus whined, but quitened down when Liam chucked a present at him. He opened it tentatively, his eyes flickering up to the residents warily. "To Gus, from Liam." He read, and pulled out a pink fluffy fountain pen. "No, I can't use this Liam! It's not blue!" He muttered, placing it on the table and earning an amused laugh from Liam, whilst Mike batted the older boy over the head affectionately.

Harry was the first to open all of his presents. With the budget that the presents were bought with they weren't top quality, but the quantity pleased him, especially his Lego set from Sapphire. He jumped up and down excitedly and kissed her on the cheek,which everyone awwed at... except Elektra.

Leanna fidgeted in her seat on the sofa, impatient to open her presents. She had never really celebrated Christmas before the Dumping Ground. Sure, the houses which were piled with sparkling lights of red, green and blue gave her a little bubble of happiness when she had seen them, but that was mostly it. Her father had dropped his family's Christian habits as soon as Josh was born, and unfortunately that included celebrating Christmas. Leanna could remember when she was really young, they'd put up a Christmas tree, but that habit died when Mr Smith's drinking obsession grew. One Christmas he had dumped the siblings at their Grandparents. It had been great, they had eaten turkey, roast potatoes and even brussel sprouts, and opened their presents whilst watching the Queen's speech. Watching the Queens speech was not going to happen at the Dumping Ground- Liam and Elektra were still arguing over the telly.

Finally it was Liam's turn, and he ripped his presents open as if there was no tomorrow. "What is this?!" He commented, opening the biggest present to reveal a dark pink lamp. Everyone burst into hysterics, whilst Liam stared at the lamp in confusion.

"Do you like it?" Carmen grinned. Liam opened his mouth and closed it, unsure of what to say. "It's for your room! Since you've got my old room I thought I'd give you something that matched the walls!" She gushed, and Frank burst into a fresh peal of laughter.

"A'ight, well the Pink Palace is always open to donations." He joked, and gave Carmen a side-hug. "Nah I love it Carmen." Once the kids had calmed down he moved on to the next present, which was from Leanna. He ripped open the paper and was met with the face of Alan Sugar and the writing "What you see is what you get". Grinning he picked it up and flipped through it, and that was when he noticed what was underneath. It was a framed drawing by Leanna, of Frank, Liam and her. He looked up, his eyes meeting hers. "Thanks Leanna." He smiled.

Then it was Leanna's turn. Feeling her stomach do a little dance of excitement, she picked up the first present addressed to her. It was from Elektra, and she found herself cowering away from the present as she opened it, expecting something to explode. It was a pretty metal structure in the form of a ballerina. "Oh." She found herself saying, and smile at the one kind gesture she could ever expect from Elektra. It wasn't as good as her previous statue, but it would do.

Leanna opened the presents one by one, a smile that could reach her ears on her face. She had received a pink headband from Carmen, a homemade cushion cover from Tee, a pair of ear rings from Lily, a new paint set to finish her wall from Sapphire, a Marina and the Diamonds CD from Frank, a book from Johnny, a set of art pencils from Toby, a new sketch book from Gus, some sweets from Harry, another book from Gina, and a new t-shirt from Tracy.

"Here." Mike said, passing his present with a smile. It was small and thin, wrapped in gold paper. She opened it to reveal a £10 note. "Extra credit for your phone, so you can call your Mum whenever." Mike said kindly, and Leanna squealed happily and hugged him tightly. It definitely was turning out to be the best Christmas. "Ah, and Liam, another one for you." He gasped.

Liam took the neatly wrapped present, frowning. His eyes lit up with realisation when he read the note. 'To Liam. Have a good Christmas, and visit soon. From Spooner.' Smiling fondly, Liam tucked the box into his hoodie pocket to open later.

"Okay kids, go and put away your presents and we can get out the monopoly just for you Tee." Mike instructed, blowing up at his non existant hair whilst his eyes surveyed the messy room. Leanna gathered her things together and was about to leave when Mike stopped her. "Leanna, you wouldn't mind helping Gina clear the kitchen would you?" He asked, smiling sweetly. Sighing as she knew she couldn't say no to this chore, Leanna trudged out of the living room and towards the kitchen. It was while she was walking through the hallway she heard something that made her stop.

"That's not part of the plan Sapph!" It was Liam, and he seemed agitated.

"Well you have to, or it will be too late!" Now it was Tee talking, and they seemed to be getting closer.

"What do you expect us to do Liam?! Look, we'll try to get ahead and put it outside. Just get there okay?" Sapphire sighed, and the footsteps became louder. Leanna rushed off to the kitchen, her mind buzzing with the confusion of what they had been talking about.

"Could you take the rubbish out please babes?" Gina asked as Leanna entered, gesturing to the black bin bags that had been left out especially for today. Grimacing she picked one up and knotted it, and braced herself for the cool air outside.

The garden looked especially lovely at Christmas. Tee had persuaded Mike to allow the kids to drape glistening white fairy lights in some of the bare trees, and it looked magical with the frosty grass sparkling with it. "Oh hey Leanna!" Sapphire gasped, hurrying back towards the house, giving Leanna no time to answer. shaking her head and crunching her way towards the bin, Leanna threw in the bin bag and started walking back to the house, breathing in the cold winter air.

"You never opened my present." Liam's voice floated over to her unexpectedly, and she jumped. He was standing behind her, a smirk on his face and a blue box in his hand. She grinned at him, realising he was right. Upon opening it she found a silver chain with a pendant which was shaped as a bird flying from a cage.

"It's gorgeous." She breathed, taking it from the box and twirling it in her fingers. He smiled again, and held out his hand.

"Here, I'll put it on you." Feeling her heart flutter, Leanna turned around and brushed her hair to the side, shivering when his warm skin brushed her neck. "You look proper nice, y'know." He commented. Leanna had been wearing a white fitted dress which was twirly at the bottom and ended a few inches before her knees.

"No! Pretty!" A voice hissed, and Leanna jumped. It sounded a lot like Tee, Leanna thought, looking around suspiciously. Liam cleared his throat, as a window closed loudly upstairs and Christmas music started drifting out from inside the house. There was an awkward silence between the two as Maria Carey reached their ears.

"Thanks..." Leanna smiled, and turned to face the door. "We'd better go inside, better not miss out on the monopoly, eh?" She joked, the cold starting to make her shiver.

"No, wait." Liam said suddenly, grabbing her hand and turning her around. She stopped, frowning at him in confusion, and now wishing she had brought a jacket outside with her. Liam stared at her, then his eyes flickered upwards. Her eyes searched upwards for what he was looking at, until she settled on something growing on a bare branch of the decorated tree hanging above them. Mistletoe. She froze, and his eyes met hers again. In one swift moment Liam had leaned in kissed her gently, his hand still clasping hers. It lasted for a dizzying moment, when he pulled away and it all clicked into place.

"You and your schemes, Liam." She managed to say, her heart still racing. He grinned, and they headed back towards the house.

**A/N: Okay firstly, sorry for the wait! And secondly, sorry about the fact that this is a Christmas chapter and Christmas was last month, I forgot to write something during Christmas and I just couldn't miss out the most amazing time of the year in my story! :D **  
><strong>So I hope you liked this chapter although it gets a but mushy (sorry!) The next chapter may be quicker and hopefully a bit of a surprise. Please leave a review and thankyou for reading so far even though I take ages to update! :S<br>Omg and I didn't know that 'The Dumping Ground' had already started! I watched the two episodes today and it's brilliant, I love it already! Sooo excited for the next episode :D Omg and not giving anything away but LEanna's half brother Jonah and Jonah! Weee :D**


	30. The Trouble With Life

**A/N: Guys I've got to thirty chapters! Yaaay :D So because it's a big amount of chapters for me I'm going to make this chapter extra long, hope you enjoy it and leave a review :D**

**~Chapter 30 - The Trouble With Life~**

"I'm pretty sure that people don't want to drink Liamade on a freezing day." Leanna commented, folding her arms and raising an eyebrow as Frank and Liam unloaded the plastic cups and money box onto a picnic rug. School had started again at the beginning of the week and they had a day off for teacher training, but Liam and Frank had dragged her to the park at at lunch as they were convinced that little kids would be at the park on a day off. She had reluctantly agreed, but not before they passed the lounge and watched, speechless, at the sight of Elektra learning chess from Toby.

"Are you doubting our salesmen skills?" Liam teased, imitating her expression.

"No it's just that... I think people would prefer a hot drink rather than cold in this weather." She replied, sighing when she noticed the 'idea' look that passed between Frank and Liam. Her eyes drifted to where they were looking; a cosy looking cafe which had radiators on each wall. "Don't even think about it, unless you want to bloody explode the place."

"Alright genius, what's your idea?" Frank smirked, but Leanna wasn't listening. Her mind had been consumed by the memory of yesterdays PSHCE lesson in school. It had been playing on her mind all day, and she knew it wouldn't rest until she did something about it.

_The weather outside reflected everyone's mood that lesson. Half of the kids were slumped on the desk half asleep, and the others were either texting or staring into space, counting down the minutes until the lesson ended. Frank was snoozing, his head resting on the window sill and Liam was flicking a coin in his hands, the silver glint of the penny flashing in the corner of Leanna's eye every time it spun._

_When Mr Hollingsworth finally decided to make an entrance, he chucked a pile of booklets onto each table and then crossed his arms. "Right then, this term we'll be learning about life goals and preparing for the future." He announced, a forced smile spread across his sharp features. "Now, everyone has an idea of what they want in the future. You all have ambitions, and we are going to be talking about being realistic. So, tell me yours."_

_The class was silent, boredom already clear in their expressions. Mr Hollingsworth paused for a moment, waiting to see if anyone would co-operate. As he expected no one did. "Alright, what about you Leannabeth?" He asked, and everyone's gaze turned towards Leanna, who looked like a deer caught in the headlights. When she didn't reply he tried again. "what are your dreams, Leanna?"_

_Leanna realised suddenly that she'd have to say something. "I dunno, Sir." She said quietly. She was lying, of course. Leanna had often sat and daydreamed of what the future would be like. Did she want a family? Well, she wanted to marry, that was for sure. However, nothing had been clear to her and many of her past aspirations had been crushed. So instead, she resorted to just hoping for the best and not planning anything, because as far as she knew, nothing really turned out how she expected. _

_"You don't know?" Mr Hollingsworth repeated, an eyebrow raised. "Don't be shy Leannabeth, we're all friends here!" He reasured, although Leanna was sure she could sense that he was mocking her. When she was silent once again, he continued. "Come on, everyone's got a dream. Unless you're really that embarrassed..." He trailed off, and the students snickered. _

_Leanna blushed. She had to say something before he made a joke of her. "I ain't really thought about it." She told him, meeting his amused gaze. "But I guess I had something in mind once."_

_"Oh really? And what was that then, Leannabeth?" Mr Hollingsworth asked, sitting on his desk casually, and raising his eyebrows at the class in mock surprise to get a laugh out of them. _

_"Just Leanna, Sir." She sighed, sick of him using her full name. "Okay well... I once wanted to be a teacher." Mr Hollingsworth stared at her with a look of complete disbelief. "But then I realised that I'd just end up bitter and a snob..." She paused. "Just like you." _

_Beside her, Liam burst out laughing. Frank, who had been almost napping, sat up, startled at her outburst. The class cracked up, and Mr Hollingsworth's expression changed from disbelief to outrage. Maybe she had been a bit harsh, but she wouldn't let someone show her up when they knew nothing about her life. "Detention at lunch for the rest of the week, and on Friday after school until half term." He declared, and for the rest of the lesson was in a bad mood, but it was worth it and most people didn't mind._

"There's something I have to do. I'll meet you guys back at the house." Leanna told them, her brow furrowed as she stood up. Liam and Frank watched her leave, neither knowing what was going on. Leanna knew exactly where she was going. She carried on straight towards the main exit, whilst checking to see if she had enough change for the bus. Just as she stepped through the gate her eyes were caught by a familiar blue haired girl who was hugging an unfamiliar girl, and a young black haired care worker who seemed to be spying on them. Laughing to herself at the usual Dumping Ground drama, Leanna turned left and walked to the bus stop, hoping that she wasn't too late.

The bus dropped her off at the end of Parker Road, and with the sickening feeling of butterflies in her stomach, she prepared herself to pass through. Honestly, she didn't even know why she was nervous to be going past her old home, nobody lived there now. The blinds had been closed and the front yard had been cleared up, but through a tiny gap in the shutters Leanna could see as she passed that the living room was completely empty except for the peeling wallpaper. Who would live there now? Probably some newly wed couple with a young child, they would be looking for jobs, completely unaware of what had happened there in the past.

Once she had reached the end of Parker Road she turned and walked up the main road until the shabby grey building of Hillside Secondary came into view. She knew that they barely had teacher training days so it would be a normal school day for them. There were still a few kids milling around, (most left the school at lunch) and they stared at her as she walked past, wondering why a Mountview kid would be on their all knew now, thanks to Jenny. She had been curious of what happened to Leanna and had asked, and went and told everyone after. Some students recognised her and waved, all their questions of why she had disappeared now answered. But whether they were staring with hostility or friendliness, Leanna still felt self conscious as she entered the building and made her way to her English classroom.

"Detention's being held in M7." A voice sighed as she walked into the classroom, and Leanna looked over to see Mr Graves at his desk, marking an essay. He hadn't looked up yet, and Leanna laughed when she realised this. Hearing her laugh he looked up, and his eyebrows raised when he saw her. "Leannabeth Smith?" He asked in disbelief, and gestured for her to sit down. "We haven't seen you for a long time! What brings you back here?"

"I needed to talk about something..." Leanna sighed. "My future."

Mr Graves put down his pen and turned in his chair, placing his folded hands on his knees. "Right then, shoot."

Mr Graves had been Leanna's English teacher since she had started at Hillside. He was tall with a receding hairline and always wore ties he thought were amusing, but he was that one teacher Leanna knew she could count on. In a life where there weren't many people who gave a shit about you, Leanna had realised to keep the ones who did close. He'd been the one to make her notice how important her school work was whilst she was stuck in Burnywood and even before that, and he'd been the first person to do something when other teachers gave up on her.

"I ain't got a clue what I want in life. I just want to be... to be happy!" She began, frowning. "I... I live in Elm Tree Care-home now, so things have got better but... I don't know." Leanna trailed off and went silent, her eyes wandering the walls of the English classroom. There was work pinned up everywhere, all with ribbons that said the strengths of the student's work. Smiling she noticed her piece from year seven, a diary entry in the point of view of a character from the book they were studying. When anyone got their work put up they would make a joke or act like they didn't care, but Leanna knew from experience that inside they felt proud, even if it was only a little.

"What about the near future? Surely you want to go to university." Mr Graves said, and to be honest, Leanna hadn't actually thought of that. School-wise she hadn't thought past her GCSE's, and that was terrifying enough.

"No I... I'm scared for my GCSEs. C'mon Mr Graves, we both know full well that the best I'll get is a B, and that'll be in art, nothing else."

Mr Graves' eyes widened and he shook his head. "That's far too harsh Leanna. I know for sure that you'll do great if you put your mind to it! Then you've just got your A levels and your out. University is always a good opportunity too..."

He was right, she decided. She couldn't put herself down so much if she wanted success in life, it would get her no where! Sapphire wasn't the most positive of people but she put her mind to things and got them done, so why couldn't Leanna do that too? However it wasn't just school bothering her. "When I turn sixteen I have to leave Elm Tree." She said quietly. It only really dawned on her that in a year and a bit she'd be leaving when Elektra had first come and she had noticed how Sapphire was always practising things- like cooking, shopping and sorting her own clothes. She began to notice it all the time, how she'd walked into Sapph's room one day to ask her to come shopping and Sapphire had said later, all because she was sorting out the things she needed to throw away for when she'd move. Sapphire was turning sixteen in less than half a year.

Where would she go? She knew Tia and Josh didn't want her. Well it wasn't that they didn't want her she realised, they were to busy. With little Jonah to look after and Tia being jobless, there was no way she'd be able to stay with them without being a burden. She'd thought about staying on her own, though the idea terrified her. Sure, she could clean and look after herself but she couldn't cook to save her life, and there were bills and school work she'd have to deal with too. Another option had crossed her mind, living with Liam and Frank. It was a cool idea and she knew that it would be so much fun, but it was just an idea. Would they still even be friends by that time?

"Living on your own isn't that bad, don't you worry." Mr Graves comforted, chuckling. "You'll probably move into a council house, that wouldn't be so bad, it's easier than a proper flat until your old enough and have got a proper job." Leanna didn't say anything, she just sunk down further into her seat. "Plus you don't have any adults around to boss you about, isn't that what makes you teenagers happy?" Mr Graves had just made things ten times easier for Leanna. Now he had brought it up, she didn't have to change the topic.

"I want to be part of a family." She whispered, looking at the floor. She knew right now that he'd be looking at her with an expression of pity and sympathy, it made her feel pretty low. But it was the truth, she knew she wanted to be happy in life. The problem was how she was going to get there, but she had a tiny feeling that with a mother and a father, she would be getting closer. It was strange, wanting to be part of a family. She knew why Johnny was so desperate to get fostered, so he'd feel loved and wanted.

"Have you talked to the... er... a social worker about fostering?" Mr Graves asked her, folding his arms. Being in care was a tricky topic, he knew. In his ten years of teaching he'd had at least eight care kids in his classes, and half of them had been trouble whilst the other half had troubles.

"Mike? Well not really but...actually... these people have offered." Leanna said slowly.

She was actually telling the truth here. It had been in the morning, half an hour before she'd almost left to school. The home had gotten a call telling them that Mountview Primary and Secondary were off because of teacher training. Mike had taken her into the office and introduced her to a lovely looking couple, the Roberts. She hadn't even seen them come to the Dumping Ground, but then again none of the kids were very observant at seven thirty in the morning. He'd told her that they wanted to foster a teenager, and he thought Leanna might like to meet them. She'd been polite and talked to them, but had left as soon as she could. She didn't know what to think, it had been such a shock to her. She hadn't even told Frank or Liam yet, she had been trying to push it to the back of her mind. It wasn't working.

"Well that's great, why don't you give it a go?" Mr Graves gasped, smiling. He looked genuinely happy for her, but when she admitted that she was scared, he chuckled sadly. "Of course you'll be scared, but there's a first time for everything isn't there! And it's not like they'll force you if you don't want to, it's up to you Leanna. You know you can always go back if it doesn't work out."

He was right again, she sighed to herself. "Cheers Mr Graves, I think I will." She told him, gathering her bags and standing up. "And seriously, I'm grateful that you let me talk to you."

"Why wouldn't I? Come talk anytime, alright? And focus on your studies Leannabeth, don't forget that." He said sternly, waving her off with a friendly smile. Feeling a whole lot clearer, Leanna left the school and headed back to Elm Tree House.

* * *

><p>It was almost three, Leanna realised as she stepped through the front door. She'd been talking to Mr Graves for almost an hour, and now she felt much better. Mike greeted her, his expression silently showing her that he was wondering whether she had made any decisions yet. "I've been thinking about it, and I want to get to know the Roberts." She told him, smiling. He grinned and gave her a thumbs up before disappearing into the office, and throwing her bag onto the sofa Leanna went to find the others. What she walked in on was not what she ever expected to see.<p>

Frank, Tee, Carmen, Liam and Johhny were sitting on the sofas dressed in chicken costumes, looking defeated. She burst out laughing and collapsed on the opposite sofa, trying her best not to cry from laughing to much. Tee giggled, embarrassed, whilst Frank covered his face and Liam raised his eyebrows. "Whats up guys?" She managed to say, sitting up and trying to breathe properly. Carmen explained to her how they had laughed at Gina for waltzing and that she had decided she wouldn't go to the dance because of it, and Mike had made them feel guilty so they were trying to convince her to go to the dance. "Well, why don't you show her that you can't do it either? Make her feel a bit better 'cause she can." Leanna offered, smirking as she cast her eyes over her friends.

"Yeah, and we can ask her to show us how its done!" Tee added, pulling off her chicken head and jumping up. "I'll go talk to her."

Leanna nodded and then grinned. "Guys, how do you keep a chicken in suspense?" She asked, and all of them groaned. "I'll tell you later!" She finished, laughing once again as the others trooped from the room to remove their costumes.

When Leanna came back downstairs after putting her bag away (and passing a troubled looking Elektra), she entered the lounge to find everyone practising the waltz, with Mike and Gina instructing. She found Liam at the back of the room, dancing with a pool stick. He winked when he saw her and put down the pool stick, and offered his hand. Leanna actually did know how to dance. When she was little she had gone through the princess stage and in one of her princess magazines it had instructions on how to dance, so she had grabbed Josh and made him help her learn. It had been a very long time ago, but it was a precious memory and had never left her. So she took Liam's hand and placed her other on his shoulder, and they danced, not noticing as Elektra guiltily peered into the room and left with her bags on her shoulder.

Later that day, Gina left to her dance feeling more confident than before, and the girls marveled at her jeweled nails and rings to match. Elektra had also returned, after Toby had almost been mugged. Leanna had been slightly glad to be honest. She found her and Elektra were moving past their stage of disliking each other, and there was even a possibility of friendship.

The day had turned out to be a lot better than she expected.

* * *

><p>The next morning was Saturday and Mike had woken her with the news that he had arranged a day out with the Roberts on Sunday. Straight away Leanna had gotten up and rushed to Sapphire's room, the girl was surprisingly awake and was rearranging her collage of the Dumping Ground residents. Noticing that her picture was up there, Leanna smiled warmly and told Sapphire the news. "There's a couple who might want to foster me." She grinned, and Sapphire smiled happily.<p>

"That's great news Leanna!" And as if she was reading the younger girl's mind, she added something else. "You haven't told Liam yet, have you?"

Blushing at being caught out, Leanna cringed at Sapphire and sat down. "No, I don't know what to say." It was true, she had no idea how to tell him. She felt slightly distant to him since Christmas night, and to add to it he hadn't asked her out, leaving her confused about where she stood with him. Sapphire seemed to understand this and sat down as well, whilst cutting out a recent picture of Harry.

"You really should y'know." She advised her, her expression serious. "And I know he hasn't asked you out, you guys act like nothing happened. All mine and Tee's hard work for nothing eh!" But when she saw Leanna's smile drop, she gave her a one armed hug. "Liam's too proud for his own good. I'm pretty sure he doesn't know what to say either." And with that, she pulled Leanna up and pushed her out of the room to make her follow the advice she had just given.

At lunch they had pizza, and when Liam didn't turn up Leanna had a pretty good idea of where he would be. Raising her eyebrows at Sapphire to let her know what she was doing, Leanna finished her slice of pizza and sneakily snuck out another.

"I brought you some food." She said, greeting him the same way he had done with her when he found her on the roof of the garage once. Balancing the plate of pizza carefully in one hand, Leanna dropped down from the boys toilet window onto the flat roof. Liam was laying down, his leg crossed over the other and an arm behind his head and the other bouncing a tennis ball in his hand.

"Cheers." He smiled, but didn't take anything. "I heard about these potential foster parents." Shit, Leanna cursed silently. He had heard somehow, and it hadn't been from her. Feeling horribly guilty, she sat down cross legged and he sat up so he was facing her. "S'okay, you don't 'ave to tell me everything. I know foster parents are a big deal."

Looking into his brown eyes, Leanna knew he was being serious. Liam had already told her that he'd been through five foster families and though he was never upset about being dumped back to a care home, he admitted that it was quite big to be fostered. "How the hell did you get fostered so many times, you're horrific!" Leanna joked, and he grinned and pushed her lightly.

"Probably my natural charm or my dashing looks." He grinned, but to be honest he was probably right. He had a way with everyone that just made them love him, except for Elektra of course. "So, you excited for tomorrow?"

"Kind of nervous actually." Leanna told him. "What should I do, since you've had so much experience?"

Liam smirked at her and grabbed the pizza slice, making sure to take a huge bite and chew really slowly before he answered. "Be yourself, seriously. Do chores and stuff. Oh, and don't tell them about anything you've done wrong, you might put them off. And don't store Liamade under their beds, that never ends well..." He trailed off at her bewildered expression and laughed. "I sound like Gus making lists, don't I. "This comment made her giggle, and she felt slightly relieved. It was going to be great, she would make sure. "Leanna?" Liam said her name, making her look up at him. His freckled face had turned serious now, and he stared at her. "I've been a bit confusing lately, I know."

"Yeah, i definitely agree with you on that." Leanna sighed, breaking his gaze. She knew where he was going with this and the butterflies had reappeared again.

"I'm sorry... but I do really like you." He noticed she was wearing the necklace he had given her on Christmas day, and smiled. "Look I've been a proper idiot, but will you be my girlfriend?" He asked quietly.

"Okay." Leanna smiled, and he grinned.

"pshh, never needed Sapph and Tee's help in the first place." He boasted, grinning as he stood up. She chuckled at his cockiness and took his hand to stand up too, but before they left to go back into the house he pulled her towards him and kissed her, brushing a leaf from her hair when they broke apart.

* * *

><p>"Leanna, go put on something pretty! We're going to do a little party for Gina." Tee grinned as Leanna walked down the hallway, and grabbed the girl's hand and dragged her to the room. "Gina's husband pretended he'd hurt himself so he couldn't dance, so we're going to have her dance with us instead." Tee explained, as she looked through Leanna's wardrobe. "Wear this!" She gasped, pulling out a flowery printed dress which had off the shoulder ruffled sleeves, a 'sweetheart' neckline and reached just above her knee.<p>

"GINA CONWAY AND MICHAEL MILLIGAN!" Tracy yelled through the loud speaker, and the two curious careworkers entered the room to find everyone dressed in their best clothes, partnered up. Carmen was with Johnny, Tee was with Frank, Elektra was with Toby, and Tracy was with Harry.

Liam held out a hand once again, a cheeky smirk on his face. "May I have this dance?" He asked, grinning. He had only changed his purple polo shirt to a purple checked shirt and put on some high top trainers, but he still looked cute.

"You may," Leanna giggled, taking his hand. They swayed back and forth in time with everyone else, and he was actually a good dancer. Leanna found herself noticing that he was almost a whole head taller than her now, and that his hands were pretty soft-for a boy. He spun her so she was in his arms, and the smile he gave her told her that she did mean a lot to him.

Across the room Frank grinned proudly at his best mate, while Sapphire winked at Leanna knowingly. Leanna was sure she was one step closer to being totally happy.

**A/N: Found this chapter really tricky, but I hope you like it. Thankyou to everyone who has reviewed so far and any reviews are appreciated!**


	31. The Roberts

**~Chapter 31-The Roberts~**

Leanna had been on three trips with the Roberts since she agreed to meet them. They'd offered to have her for two weeks to see how she liked living with them, and happily, Leanna had agreed. They had been perfect- kind, generous, funny and good natured. She honestly couldn't believe that this chance had appeared for her, and when it came for the day they'd pick her up, she packed like lightning and was waiting by the door in less than an hour.

"You go on in hon, I'll take your bag up." Mr Roberts offered, taking Leanna's suitcase and ushering her through the front door. Mr Roberts was tall, with a sharp face and eyes to match. He always had his fancy blazer on hand, however his personality was a contrast- he was lovely. Mrs Roberts looked the complete opposite, she was short and had long curly brown hair and tanned skin, and liked to describe herself as very 'mumsy'.

A familiar looking boy was slouched on the sofa when she walked in. His eyes met Leanna's and they stared at each other for a moment, trying to remember how they knew the other.

"Jem?" 

"Leanna?" They both asked simultaneously, and laughed. 

Jem had been a resident at Burnywood when Leanna had lived there. He was the same age as her, with golden brown tousled hair and brown eyes that could melt the coldest of hearts. He had been in Burnywood whilst Leanna was there, and had helped her sneak back into the house when she had been locked in the attic and had escaped. He beckoned for her to sit down, and gestured to the TV. "They've got all the movie channels here." He grinned, showing her the Sky menu screen and flipping through everything. This was something new- at the Dumping Ground they'd only had the basic channels and the kids channels as it was expensive to buy more.

They were silent for a while, until Leanna spoke. "So why'd you think they are fostering two care kids?" She asked quietly, her eyes flicking to the open door. Jem frowned. 

"It's not just us. There's a little girl here. I heard them in the office at Burnywood and they said they're trying to group kids with similar situations and... straighten them out." He shut up quickly when Mrs Roberts entered the room, a tray of cookies balanced carefully and some bags on her arm.

"I got you some stuff!" She grinned, placing the tray of cookies on the table and smiling as Jem and Leanna jumped up like kids on Christmas morning.

"That's really nice of you Mrs Roberts!" Leanna gasped, taking the bag that she was handed. 

"Call me Julie, hon." Was the reply. 

The Roberts had bought Leanna three new sketchbooks, lanterns to hang in her room and a water colour paint set. Leanna was amazed. How could she get so lucky to be wanted by a couple as lovely as them? She knew straight away that the two weeks she would spend in this family would be great. 

When dinner came around, Jem didn't look as pleased anymore. He looked in fact quite disgrunteled, and he sat down and ate his dinner in silence, his eyes trained on his plate. Leanna had piled her plate with everything on offer. It turned out that Mr Roberts, or as he said to call him Joe, was a chef, and loved his job. So that night they had risotto and creme brule for desert, as a treat.

Jem was sat on his windowsill when Leanna found him. His room was pretty plain, which was strange as this was his second time staying with the Roberts, and he had said himself that he knew they'd have 'the talk' with him soon, which consisted of them asking him if he wanted to stay with them.

"It's eight, you can't be in here." He said flatly when Leanna joined him, and stared straight ahead at the nature reserve which backed their garden. "It's against the rules to leave your room after eight." 

Leanna frowned, that was an odd rule. "Why?" She asked, and he shrugged. "Jem, what's wrong?" She was determined to find out, he'd been so happy earlier. 

Jem rested his head on the window frame, his gaze still not moving. "It's gonna start getting weird now the weekend's over." He sighed. "I don't know if you're gonna think I'm lying or anything, but the Joe and Julie have some proper strict rules." Leanna frowned at him, deciding not to take his warning too seriously. They couldn't be that bad could they?

* * *

><p>Waking up on Monday morning was an effort. Her duvet was fat and cuddly, and her pillows plump. However with the sun peering through the curtains and the alarm clock buzzing next to her, Leanna reluctantly sat up, rubbing her eyes. It was seven o'clock, and the alarm was still blaring. Stretching, Leanna hopped out of bed and switched it off. She didn't remember setting it the night before. <p>

Everyone was in the kitchen when she came downstairs. They were all dressed and wide awake, and sitting quietly at the breakfast table. Leanna felt a strange heaviness, it was so different from the dumping ground, where you were awoken by happy shouts and everyone was up and buzzing in the kitchen. Grabbing a bowl and pouring some cornflakes in, Leanna tried to start some conversation. "Will I be walking to school?" She asked pleasantly, taking a seat next to Jem.

"No, we will drive you there." Julie answered curtly, stirring her tea delicately. It was silent again.

"Did you sleep well, Joe?" Leanna tried again, turning to the man. His angled face was hidden behind a newspaper. He didn't reply. A little girl, with neat blonde plaits and sea blue eyes was staring at Leanna, her breakfast untouched.

"Eat your food, Annie. We don't waste food here." Joe said, as if he was watching her somehow through the newspaper. Leanna's eyes flicked to Jem, who was quietly eating a slice of toast, his eyes fixed on the clock opposite him. Leanna joined them in silence, pondering over what Jem had said. Maybe they were just a little bit strict, they couldn't be as bad as Jem had said...could they? Nobody spoke for the rest of the meal, and after they quietly piled the bowls into the dishwasher. It was quarter to eight, Leanna and Jem had to leave. They grabbed their bags from the hallway and opened the door, calling a goodbye to their foster parents. 

"WAIT!" Julie yelled, stopping them before they left the house. "Cell phones?" She held out her hands expectantly, and Leanna looked at Jem, who was rolling his eyes. 

"Don't worry Julie, we're allowed them in school!" Leanna reassured, certain that the woman was just a bit behind about the modern world- she had said cell phones after all.

"They may allow it but in this house, we do not permit cell phones on weekdays." Julie replied, her voice firm and her hand still outstretched. Jem reluctantly reached into his rucksack and dropped his mobile into her hand, and walked away to wait by the car for Joe. "Hurry up Leannabeth, we don't have all day!" Julie scolded, and dumbfounded, Leanna handed her phone over, for once not reacting.

Jem's face radiated 'I told you so.'. Leanna was dropped of first at Mountview Secondary, as Jem still went to the school that all the Burnywood kids went to- Courtmoore Academy. He had said that if he decided to stay with the Roberts he'd be moved to Hillside or Mountview, as Courtmoore was almost half an hour away.

Joe stopped the car right outside the gates and turned around in his seat, his blue eyes piercing Leanna. "Right, we don't tolerate bad behavior. So if I hear of even one misdemeanor then I will not be pleased, _at all_." He instructed, and looked at Jem. "That means you too." With that, he motioned with his head for Leanna to leave, and feeling very self conscious she stepped out of the Lexus and hurried through the school gates.

* * *

><p>Lunch seemed to take forever to arrive, and when it did, Leanna found that the Roberts had also pre-ordered her school meals for the week. They had specifically chosen the healthiest meals possible for every single day, and they staff were not allowed to let her buy anything sugary or even the slightest bit unhealthy.<p>

"Y'know I wouldn't even mind if it was cooked well, this stuff is just... ugh!" Leanna complained, giving up on her potato and beans and chucking it into the bin. Liam and Frank smirked, taunting her with their chocolate rolls. 

"Oh yeah, you never replied my text this morning!" Liam said, giving in and offering her half of the roll. Leanna cringed, not wanting to explain her phone situation. Liam was looking at her expectantly, and Frank was tutting and joking about how she had broken a sacred relationship rule.

Thinking quickly, Leanna did the thing she knew best. "It's out of charge. I forgot my charger as well and er... Jem's one isn't the same." She explained, and only then did she realise she hadn't told them anything about life at the Roberts'.

"Jem?" Both boys said, looking at her. "How d'you know Jem?" Liam asked, frowning. 

Leanna sighed, knowing that she'd have to tell them everything about the Roberts. "The Roberts have asked Jem as well as this other girl." She began, and then registered what Liam had said. "Wait, you know Jem? What?" All three of them stared at each other, and Leanna sighed and gave in. She told them everything, from how they had been amazing on the first few visits, they'd bought her stuff and generally been kind and fun, but when it came for her to stay for a fortnight it started getting weird, starting with the rule about not leaving your room to the odd silence at meals and then not allowing phones during the week. Frank and Liam looked genuinely surprised, and shook their heads.

"Sure you want to stay with them then?" Liam asked, slightly concerned. It was selfish, but if Leanna stayed with them, would they let her see him and Frank? 

"I don't know... it's too early to decide." Leanna sighed, she honestly had no idea. Her desperation for a family made her want to stay and the fun they had on weekends too... but then again, the Roberts enforced some ridiculous rules that may get worse, and what about her real mother? She pushed the confusing thoughts from her head. "How do you know Jem?" She directed this at Liam, who looked suddenly very guarded. 

"Used to go to the same school." He mumbled, and got up to play football. Frank shrugged, he also didn't know what that was about. Raising her eyebrows, Leanna stood up and stretched. She'd ask Jem about it later.

* * *

><p>Leanna arrived home before Jem, and decided to hunt down her cell phone. Only Joe was in, and he was in his office engrossed in a book, so Leanna assumed she had a chance. The first and only place she looked was their bedroom, and surprisingly the phones were sitting on Julie's dressing table. It was still switched on, so Leanna picked it up and flipped through her new messages. One from Liam stood out in particular: "Are you free tomorrow tonight?xxx" She grinned and replied that she was, and made herself comfortable on the seat. <p>

"What do you think you're doing?!" Joe's harsh voice slashed through Leanna's thoughts. Her head snapped up to see Joe with his arms crossed, looking very cross.

"I... I just wanted to-" Leanna began, panicking. She couldn't muck this up! 

"I warned you, Leannabeth." Joe stormed forwards, snatching the phone from her hands and chucking it onto the table. His voice was crisp and cold, unlike the voice of Mike which was always warm and calm, even when he was cross. "You'll be staying in your room for the rest of this evening... and you're not getting any dinner either!" He hissed angrily, grabbing her wrist and yanking out of the room, ignoring her yell.

* * *

><p>Leanna sat in her bedroom, cuddling her knees. The day had gone horribly wrong. What if she'd completely messed all of this up? Maybe it was her fault that they were being so horrible. Or maybe Jem was right, and they were just weird. It was only four, and Leanna had to stay in her room for the rest of the night. She heard the front door slam, and the sound of Joe yelling again. Jem must have done something now. Sighing, she reached into her suitcase and pulled out a pad of paper and her pencil set. Frowning in concentration she began to outline a large house, with an elm tree in front.<p>

**A/N: Sorry about the irregular updates :( i hope you like this chapter and please review! :)**


	32. A Secret Date

~Chapter 32-A Secret Date~

Leanna didn't tell Liam or Frank about Joe locking her in the room. She'd decided to not tell them anything else about what was going on at the Roberts, as after all it was her choice to make whether she'd stay with them, and she had to do it on her own. She was still troubled by this choice, they were lovely most of the time... others, not so much.

When Jem had come home from school the next day he had been in a horrible mood. Truthfully, Leanna had never seen him cross before, whilst she was in Burnywood he'd always been pleasant. He'd told her when she came that the Roberts were fostering children with similar backgrounds, but what did Jem and little Annie have in common with her?

Leanna's afternoons were now spent doing homework and sketching elm tree house, which she was spending a long time on, as she wanted it to be perfect. Nobody else in Elm Tree apart from those who went to Mountview Secondary had heard from Leanna since she had left to stay at the Roberts, and she was starting to miss Tee a lot. Perhaps she could get Mike to pass on a message, she thought, as he was visiting the next day to see how things were going.

The day was dragging and Leanna was beginning to wish she was back at school, even that would be better! Little Annie had talked to Leanna that morning though, only to tell her to 'shut up and piss off' which came as quite a surprise- Annie was no more than six and looked like an angel.

"Have you done covalent bonds yet?" Jem sauntered into Leanna's room, as if nothing in the world was bothering him- which was odd, as he'd not said a word since he'd arrived home from school.

Spinning around in her chair, Leanna turned to face him. "Yeah, you can have my notes." She told him, inspecting his face. His expression was bored, like a typical teenage boy when he had a ton of homework. "Jem, how do you know Liam?" Jem's expression instantly turned guarded, same as Liam had the other day. He shrugged, not meeting her gaze. "Please, Jem." Leanna asked, and he gave in.

"We used to be best mates, when we were in year 5." Jem began, and sat down on her bed. "I never knew he was in care, he didn't tell anyone, not even me and when I found out I hated him. I dunno why, I guess it just scared me. I felt betrayed. I'd ignore him and call him names behind his back.. but not to his face. He was Liam, he'd have something to say straight back. He continued to treat me as a friend even though I was a shit friend to him, and one day..." He trailed off, scuffing the carpet with his foot.

"One day, he came to my house unexpectedly. He'd been there before he just didn't know what was going on until that time. He went and told his social worker... and a week later I was in Burnywood with him. To say I hated his guts was an understatement. Everyday we'd fight, we didn't stick together like we should have, especially in a place like Burnywood. I guess he got so sick of the place because a few weeks later he broke into the office, took his file and set it on fire in the garden and nearly burned the whole place down, and the care workers and that were so sick of him that they moved him on."

Leanna sat, speechless. She'd expected something like 'we got into a fight when we were kids' or something silly, not a full blown drama. Jem was in care because of Liam, and instead of being grateful like Leanna had been, Jem had turned against him.

"But he... what... why did you get put in care?" Leanna stammered, finally finding her voice. Jem looked on the edge of tears and Leanna regretted asking, but he told her anyway, his face downcast.

"My dad was an arsehole pretty much. He was always getting drunk and leaving me on my own, no wonder mum left him. I was managing fine, I was alright... anyway dad died soon after I went to Burnywood... which is why I hated Liam even more. I thought it was his fault, because if I had been at home I would have looked after him." Jem sighed, running a hand through his curls.

Things were starting to make sense to Leanna now. Slowly, she stood up and sat down next to him, and hugged him tightly. "I'm sorry about your Dad, Jem." She whispered, and after a moment he hugged her back. "My dad was an alcoholic too, he's locked up now though. I think I understand why the Roberts wanted to foster us now though. Like you said, we've all got similar backgrounds and... they think we're trouble." She finished, and his eyes lit up in understanding.

"They're trying to straighten us out..." He muttered, and then frowned. "Who do they think they are?" He was starting to get cross, and Leanna was glad that the door was closed, if they heard the two talking about these things then the consequences would be bad.

"I'm getting sick of these rules." Leanna sighed, and Jem nodded, agreeing. His eyes scanned the room, taking in each simple detail, the plain walls, the neat desk, the wooden floors and white rug.

"Who says we have to follow them though?" He said quietly. "We'd get caught if we decorated our rooms but I'm sure there's something we can do to go behind their backs." He stood up and paced the room, seemingly plotting. "Who are they to inforce these stupid rules and try and 'straighten us out? There ain't nothing wrong with us." He muttered crossly.

"Help me sneak out." Leanna said, her eyes following the frustrated boy as his footsteps made rhythmic taps on the floor. "And then tomorrow night I'll get you out, they'll never know if we're careful!" She persuaded, and he stopped to consider this before nodding.

"Sounds good. Tonight at eight I'll make sure they're distracted and then come up here. You could get out the window, I guess." He said, peering out of the window and at the drainpipe that was attached to the wall. They were only on the second floor and could probably do it if they were careful. Leanna smiled at him, and Jem grinned back, satisfied with their plan. Leanna would be able to see Liam now as well, as they had planned a date however Leanna hadn't asked the Roberts yet. She had a feeling they'd say no anyway, they had now banned laptops and computers during the week. If they needed to be used permission had to be given and the time limit was one hour.

* * *

><p>The door clicked open softly and Jem poked his head round the door, before entering. "They're checking my maths homework. I did it all wrong so they'll spend extra time correcting it, but don't go past the living room window ok?" Jem advised, walking in and pushing the windows open wide. Leanna had chosen to wear something practical since she'd be climbing, so she settled for teal coloured culottes and a long sleeved white lace top.<p>

Liam would be waiting for her in the back garden, Leanna had snuck into the Robert's room and texted him again, however this time she'd had to search for the phones, they'd been hidden under the bed. Feeling ever so slightly nervous, Leanna hugged Jem tightly. "Thanks." She said quietly, and climbed onto her windowsill her eyes scanning the garden until they met brown ones. Liam stood his arms folded at the bottom of the garden, partly hidden by a tree. He watched her as she turned and let one foot dangle until she found footing on the pipe, and as Jem climbed up and held her hand as she gained her balance. The boys looked at each other for a moment, neither showing any expression.

"Hey." Leanna grinned, as she crossed the garden to Liam. He smiled at her and his eyes flickered back up to the bedroom, where Jem sat on the windowsill his legs swinging out of the window as he sat. In the darkness it was hard to read his face, but his hand raised in a slight wave, which Liam awkwardly returned. Taking Liam's hand, Leanna left through the side gate, being sure to keep low as they crossed the front garden. As they walked down the lane, she turned to Liam. "So, where are we going?" She asked, smiling as she noticed he'd made an effort. His hair was combed and he'd worn a button down shirt.

"Well I thought we'd do a bit of burger diving y'know, and then sell a few of Toby's comics." He joked, grinning at her. "We're going to an ice cream parlor. Fancy eh?" Leanna laughed, feeling the flutter of nerves dissolve. Liam was perfect and nothing like the Roberts could change how happy she was to be with him.

They took the bus into town and walked down the brightly lit street. Lanterns had been hung up recently and glowed deep reds and blues and yellows, giving a relaxed vibe to the calm street. A few of the shops were closed but up ahead Leanna could see the parlor, it was lit up with white and baby pink lights which stood out, and inside the walls were striped with the same colours, with elegant chairs and a checked floor. Liam winced at the girliness, but still pulled out a chair for Leanna and then sat down, his eyes drifting over to the display of all of the different ice creams.

Leanna winced as she read through the prices of the ice creams. The cheapest one was five pounds, and that was one scoop! Liam was smiling confidently though, and picked out the largest option on the menu. Deciding that she'd make sure she'd pay for her own food, Leanna ordered a 'Caramel Delight' which was a sundae glass filled with caramel, chocolate chip and vanilla ice cream and drizzled with caramel sauce. The Roberts didn't allow sweet food on weekdays either.

"The Roberts asked me the other day about boarding school." Leanna said, tucking in. "They think Mountview is too 'bad', but its pretty much the opposite. They should've seen Hillside.." Leanna honestly hated the idea of boarding school. Though she could see why some people would love it, she somehow couldn't digest the fact that they'd be living by a school, though it was rather like a carehome, living with random people.

"Mountview ain't that goody-two shoes." Liam said, spooning a large dollop of chocolate ice cream into his mouth. "About a month before you came the police came for this kid during lunch." He told her, continuing when he saw her curious expression. "He got turned in by one of his mates for dealing drugs. There was a big kick up, he tried to jump the fence but he weren't quick enough. Pretty messed up kid though, he tried selling them to everyone, even got a few year sevens in on it." Liam drifted off, distracted by the chocolate sauce that had just been put on the table.

"You didn't..." Leanna began, frowning at him. She never thought Liam would be one to do drugs, but she'd learnt that not everyone was what they seemed. He looked up, raising an eyebrow.

"C'mon Leanna really? Nah I wouldn't. Been through eight carehomes and I've seen enough messed up people so I ain't stupid." He told her, as if eight carehomes was no big deal. Leanna felt her stomach heave. He'd been in eight carehomes? Seeing her horrified expression he smiled gently. "I've been in care since I was born, it's no biggie."

"Were they really that bad?" Leanna asked softly, and he shook his head.

"Nah not all of them. Sometimes it was just because they thought it was convenient, and others because I didn't like it and I'd fuck things up so they'd move me on." He said, smiling as if his mischief was an achievement.

"Burnywood must have been pretty bad then." Leanna commented, her eyes meeting his. He seemed to understand the message she was getting across and shifted uncomfortably before sighing.

"Yeah, you know what it's like there. Nobody was friends, not like Elm Tree. They was gonna send me to a specialist carehome for kids with proper bad behavior problems, but Mike convinced my social worker that he could manage me. Ain't looked back since." He smiled at the last part, but it didn't reach his eyes.

Leanna knew Liam saw Mike as a father figure, all of the kids did. But the disappointed talks didn't stop Liam getting into trouble, even if it wasn't intentional. He didn't say it but Leanna it was plain obvious that Liam thought Mike would give up on him sooner or later.

They were comfortably quiet for a while, eating their ice creams in peace, until Liam's phone bleeped from where it sat on the table. Liam's eyes flickered to the screen but he didn't touch it. It bleeped again, and then again, and Leanna could see messages continuously popping up on the screen. He chuckled awkwardly and switched it onto silent, but didn't explain.

"Does Mike know about this?" Leanna asked, raising her eyebrows.

He nodded, not meeting her gaze. "He actually asked me to 'subtly find out how its going at the Roberts'" Liam grinned, gesturing as he repeated what Mike had said. "There's a party going on now. I was invited but I wanted to see you." Liam said shyly, completely unlike himself and this surprised Leanna.

She blushed, not knowing what to say. Liam picked up his phone and flicked through the texts, chuckling now and then. "Well it seems like Sapph's having a good time!" He grinned, showing her the terribly spelt text which told of how Sapphire liked to eat broccoli. He saved it and laughed again, and Leanna cringed for Sapphire who would be the subject of Liam's pisstake for a long time now.

"So, are you going to come back?" Liam finally asked, pushing his finished bowl away. His brown eyes were boring into her with genuine care, and for a moment Leanna felt slightly intimidated.

Thinking her answer through, Leanna's eyes drifted around the shop, anywhere but Liam's own eyes. It was beginning to get quieter as people left for home. "I'm not sure. I miss Elm Tree but I like... I like it at the Roberts." She said quietly, however this time she was unsure of whether she was lying or not. Liam seemed convinced though and smiled sadly though he covered it up quickly.

"We miss you. Tee is excited for you to come back, she can't wait!" Leanna smiled fondly at this, feeling a surge of affection for her best friend. Tee was not the sort of person she had ever expected to be friends with but now she was she'd never go back. She'd never met someone so sweet natured and loyal.

* * *

><p>The ice creams costed £15 in the end, and Leanna almost did a double take when the bill came, though Liam swiftly paid before Leanna could get one word in edge ways. "There are perks to being a businessman." He grinned, winking. Hand in hand they left the parlor, took the bus and then began the walk back to the Roberts' house, and Leanna was beginning to get nervous again. She'd had to leave her phone behind just in case they checked if it was still there, so she had no way to tell if Jem was okay. What if they had realised Leanna was gone? What kind of punishment would they come up with? Liam seemed to sense her worry and squeezed her hand. "Don't worry, they won't have noticed." He comforted, Liam was a pro at sneaking out at the Dumping Ground.<p>

"I hope so. I hope Jem is okay too..." She had said before she could stop herself, and mentally facepalmed. Liam hadn't really reacted except for his whole arm tensing, but other than that he said nothing. Sighing, Leanna looked at him from the corner of her eye. "Deep down Jem is grateful for what you did." She told him quietly. "And you did do the right thing even if it meant losing him as a friend." In the dim light she saw him smile sadly, something he had been doing an awful lot recently.

"I know." Is all he said, before they reached the looming house. They snuck through the front garden to the back, where Leanna's window had been pushed open wide. The light glowed and dimmed as Jem walked over to the window. "See you tomorrow, alright?" Liam said, and she nodded.

"Thanks, I had fun. And I'm paying you back whether you like it or not!" Leanna joked. Then she let go of his hand, but before she turned to climb back up the drainpipe Liam reached round and kissed her quickly, then smiled and left. Feeling grateful for the darkness that hid her massive blush, Leanna cautiously climbed the drainpipe, wincing every time it groaned in protest. Finally she reached her window and Jem pulled her in, asking in a hushed voice how her night was. "It was amazing." Leanna sighed happily, and with that the two high fived at their success. Perhaps the next week wouldn't be so bad since she had Jem to share it with.

**A/N: Thank's for reviewing guys, hope you like this chapter! Oh and let me know if you want me to have Jem make another appearance in the story as he won't be in it for much longer! Thankyouuu and good luck for everyone who has exams!**


	33. Shocks and Surprises

~Chapter 33 - Shocks and Surprises~

The familiar feel of gravel under her feet made Leanna smile as she hauled her suitcase out of the boot. It was quiet today, there was no wind or traffic surprisingly, however the old house looked slightly gloomy as Leanna trudged up to it, and that was because of the lack of faces appearing at the window, Leanna noticed. It stung a little, she admitted. The kids knew she was coming back and usually there was a crowd of excited children at the windows and door whenever someone visited, but today that was not the case.

Mike unlocked the door and held it open for her to pas through first, a slightly pained expression spread across his face. The eerie quietness continued as she walked inside. Dumping her suitcase on the sofa by the stairs, Leanna walked straight to the living room.

Everyone was sat on the sofas, looking as if the whole world had collapsed around them. "...Hey, guys." She greeted meekly, raising her eyebrows when only Sapphire and Elektra acknowledged her. "What happened?" Leanna happened to notice that Liam wasn't sat with them, nor Frank either. Her legs itched to walk out and go find them, but the kids looked so sad, and she felt she had to at least ask why. They were her 'family', after all.

"Frank's Grandad died." Elektra stated bluntly, putting down her magazine. Leanna felt her heart plunge in shock. Frank's Grandad meant the world to him. Gus, who had been furiously typing away at the computer, scribbled in his notebook quickly and stood up, looking determined. No one stopped him when he ran out of the room, new information ready to share with poor Frank.

"We should help him have a service." Toby piped up, drawing the attention to him. "I mean... if he wants to.."

His idea was quickly considered and soon most of the people in the room were agreeing. "Whatever." Elektra snorted, getting up and leaving, Sapphire followed shortly after, muttering about how the council ruined everything.

Lunch was an odd experience. There had been days when people had been arguing beforehand and the whole table was silent, waiting for an outburst, but today no one spoke out of respect for Frank's feelings. Not that he spent long at the table anyway, he ate in five minutes maximum, leaving nearly all of his food. Leanna watched him leave, feeling absolutely horrible. How selfish was she to feel sorry for herself when Frank had lost the last family member who cared about him?

* * *

><p>"Okay, here's what we do. We'll collect everything we need and sort it out in the front garden. We can ask Mike if he can drive the stuff down in the mini van." Leanna suggested, and the other children nodded around her. "Any one know how to put a bench together then?"<p>

There was silence, as everyone looked at each other awkwardly. "Great." Toby sighed. "Now what are we going to do?"

"I... I could help." Everyone turned to see Elektra walking towards them, her hands in her pockets. "You lot are all pathetic so you need me anyways." She added, earning a laugh from Carmen and Leanna.

"Right lets go!" Toby cried out, leading the other kids into the garden.

* * *

><p>It was almost four and they had just finished putting together the bench. It was perfect, with all its colour and bits and bobs. Everyone had contributed, especially Sapphire and Elektra, much to everyone's surprise. Gus had even donated an old chalkboard which he said was not as practical as his whiteboards so he didn't want it. Mike had called Tracy and told her to bring Frank to the lake, so everyone hurriedly rushed behind the leafy bushes.<p>

"What's this?" Frank's confused voice floated over as he trudged towards the bench.

"SURPRISE!" All the kids raced from behind their hiding place, gathering around him as his mouth formed an O in shock.

"Look, I did this fish!" Tee squeaked, earning an affectionate smile from Mike.

"I did the sea creatures on that plank of wood!" Leanna added, pointing to the bottom of the bench, which was decorated with a border of fish and other creatures. Liam moved over to her and slid an arm around her waist, watching as his best friend was overcome with gratitude.

"And I did this owl, but.. Elektra did most of the work." Carmen admitted, whilst Frank admired the bench in awe.

"I just did the fixing, it should last a few years." Elektra said modestly, getting a few surprised stares. Everyone was grateful for her help though, or they would have gotten no where.

"Well, try it out!" Everyone encouraged, and tentatively Frank sat down, stroking the seat as his eyes travelled to each little part the kids had made. "I really don't know what to say. My Grandad would love it." He said, a massive smile crossing his face. "And he'd be glad I have such good friends."

"You lot did a good job!" Liam said, making his way over to Leanna. She grinned appreciatively, her eyes flickering over to their work of art.

"It was Toby's idea. Where were you guys all day?"

Liam sighed, glancing over at Frank who was approaching. "We went to the grave to decorate it, but it's a multiple grave. We couldn't even have a gravestone. Frank was pretty cut up about it." Liam told her, as Frank joined them. He wouldn't say outloud but seeing his best mate so upset affected him too, and even he felt grief for a man who although he had never met, had made such an impact on Frank's life. "But Tracy missed out on making her million by selling that car." Liam chortled, ducking when Tracy went to hit him over the head. "It had a personalised number plate, it was worth tons!" Liam unlocked his phone and showed her a picture of a car that should belong to a clown, whilst Tracy covered her face in embarrassment as the two laughed.

"But she gave it up for my pocketwatch." Frank added, smiling thankfully at Tracy, who hugged him from the side.

"I reckon the foods about ready now!" Tracy grinned, as Gina yelled out that dinner was ready. They tucked into their burgers hungrily, when Mike ordered that they take a photo. They all gathered around the bench and grinned, completely unaware of Elektra's revenge. Mike pressed the button and rushed over, joining the crowd of exciting kids.

3...2...

Liam cried out in disgust as he opened his burger to reveal little maggots wriggling about, and everyone screamed and ran as the shutter closed and the photo was taken. "That'll be one to keep." Mike laughed once everyone had calmed down, except Elektra who was still in fits of laughter.

* * *

><p>The next day Leanna had been sitting in Tee's room, doodling on her Spanish book whilst the younger girl sewed a design onto a cushion. It had been ages since she had caught up with her friend and they were enjoying their time together, occasionally gossiping about school. Tee currently had a crush on a boy in her class, though she hadn't told anyone but Leanna, especially not Carmen as her brother would freak if he found out about her crush. Tee thought he was amazing, because he was really sweet and captain of the Under 12 football team.<p>

They were in the middle of a discussion on how to get Tee to talk to him when Liam burst into the room without knocking. "Sorry to interrupt your little gossip," He began, grinning. "But I need your guys' help." With that he turned and left, not even waiting for them to follow.

Liam had taken them to the attic, where Frank was sitting, the pocketwatch tightly clasped in his hands. "What d'you want us for?" Leanna questioned, squinting slightly in the dusty air. All around were boxes piled on top of each other, some labeled and some not. In the corner was an old rocking horse and by the window sat a broken bookcase.

"We realised that Frank had packed away some of his stuff when he came, and there might be some of his Grandad's stuff in there. We've just got to find it." Liam explained, pacing back and forth. Tee was frowning slightly as she observed the many boxes. But out of love and sympathy for Frank the two joined in with helping, opening any boxes they could reach and checking inside. Frank even found Tee some balls of wool, which certainly put her in a good mood.

"Found it!" Frank cried, pointing at a particularly high box. It was carefully balanced at the top of a collection of boxes at least six feet in the air, with 'Frank Matthews' written across it in bold handwriting. Liam rubbed his hands together, looking determinedly at this new challenge. "We could get Mike's ladder.." Frank suggested, watching as Liam climbed onto the first set of boxes, testing their stability first.

"Yeah, this don't seem such a great idea..." Leanna added, and Tee nodded in agreement.

"Have some faith in me guys!" Liam laughed, he had almost reached the top and was crouching precariously on a very old looking box. He began to pull open the box but grumbled in frustration when he realised it had been sellotaped shut. Frank was frowning now, watching his best friend balance over six feet off the ground. It didn't matter that much, he could just wait for Mike to come and get it down safely, but Liam would not listen. He was only trying to ease his friend's grief after all.

Liam gave the box one final tug and the flaps opened forcefully, almost sending him off the edge. Leanna swore her heart got caught in her throat, and Tee grabbed her hand in fear. Liam just laughed again and waved mockingly, before reaching into the box and pulling something out. It was an old wooden box which was beautifully polished for its age. He grinned, placing it back into the cardboard box. "Right you lot, one of yous is gonna have to climb up a bit to help me get this down." Liam instructed, and Frank stepped forwards.

"Mate its fine, pretty sturdy actually!" Liam reassured, standing up to prove himself.

And suddenly in a split second the box underneath him gave away, and Liam flung his arms out as he lost balance. Tee let out a terrified scream as the boy fell backwards and tumbled to the floor, a painful crash punctuating his landing.

Liam couldn't hear the yells that escaped from the other kids mouths as they pushed past the boxes to get to him.

** A/N: Thankyou so much for reviewing! Finally catching up to series 3 haha!**


	34. The Arrival of Burnywood

~Chapter 34-The Arrival of Burnywood~

"Right you lot, who's coming to collect Liam?" Mike called, stepping into the lounge. Immediately most of the kids stood up, with an exception of Elektra and Sapphire, one who didn't like him and the other who 'couldn't be bothered'. Frank and Leanna were the first to dash to the van, and collapsed on the back seats.

"D'you think he's gonna be alright?" Leanna asked Frank nervously, as they waited for the rest of the kids to come. It had been two days since the accident, with Liam not waking up for four hours and the doctor deciding they wanted to keep him in for the night in case of concussion.

Frank shrugged, fastening his seat belt. "He's never okay when his pride has taken a hit. You never know with him though!" Frank told her wisely, after all, he had known Liam the longest. He remembered when they were eleven and they had just become best friends, how Liam had broken his leg after landing awkwardly when playing football. He didn't speak to anyone for a day, and then suddenly he was completely back to his old self.

Tee, Toby, Harry, Carmen and surprisingly Johnny (who said they had become 'kind of friends' on the countryside trip) piled onto the van. There was an excited chatter as the mini van started up, with Mike and Tracy in the front. The hospital was only a twenty minute drive away, Leanna remembered- she had stayed there only a year ago.

A nurse lead the group up to the floor where Liam would be waiting for them, whilst Mike constantly shushed the kids as their excitement was causing stares. It was an odd feeling, being back in the hospital. The last time she had visited was to see her Mum, Ellen. Ellen was now living with a friend, having regular counselling sessions which seemed to be working. She'd been off drugs and alcohol for four months now.

Liam was sitting on an arm chair once they arrived at the ward, a backpack resting at his feet, his phone in one hand and the other resting across his chest in a sling. "You got a blue cast!" Harry gasped, running over to the older boy and showing Jeff. Liam laughed, adjusting the sling so Harry could get a better look.

"Aight, Mike? Let's get going then." He greeted, barely looking at the other kids as he jumped up and sauntered off ahead, not looking back to see if anyone was following. The kids looked disappointed whilst Frank and Leanna gave each other a worried glance. Mike sighed loudly, apologising to the nurse.

"Liam!" He called after the boy, who swung round with an annoyed expression crossing his freckled face. "Just wait a minute, okay?" Liam shrugged, watching as Leanna and Frank nervously approached.

"Hey!" Frank greeted, earning a nod from Liam, who seemed to be avoiding looking at them. It was frustrating, his mood swings. Leanna sighed, realising that he wouldn't be the one to start a conversation.

"Sapph's finished moving in." Leanna tried, but Liam just murmured a 'great' in reply and looked over at the lifts. Frank sighed loudly and sauntered back to the group, fed up of Liam's attitude. "Look, why are you being like this?" Leanna asked, moving so he was looking directly at her. "We've been so worried and when we get to see you, you're acting like every bloody thing has gone wrong. Why?"

The boy watched her, his brown eyes narrowing before they softened a little, but he didn't speak. Rolling her eyes Leanna marched off back to Frank, who was buying a drink at the vending machine. "He'll get over himself sooner or later." Frank said wisely, popping open the can of coke and offering Leanna some.

* * *

><p>Leanna's peaceful sleep was disturbed by the relentless ringing of the doorbell. She stretched and rolled out of bed, checking the time as she grabbed her dressing gown. It was eight thirty. Light was streaming through the gaps in the curtains, hitting the metal ballerina. Leanna smiled fondly at it, seeing it as a sort of peace offering from Elektra. She'd even consider them almost friends.<p>

Tracy stumbled down the stairs in front of her, and opened the door just as Carmen came round the corner.  
>"Get in there." A rough voice ordered, shoving a young boy with recognisably curly hair. It was Tyler, and Leanna guessed with a sinking feeling that the voice belonged to the one and only Dennis. And there she was thinking she'd never see him again. That realisation triggered another memory, and her fingers automatically traced the faint line that scarred her cheek.<p>

_Is Alfie there?_

Leanna leaned over the banister and her eyes darted past every face that passed through the door, and she relaxed only when she realised he wasn't there. A hand took hers, and Leanna looked up to see Liam, who had come downstairs after hearing all the commotion. She shook her head, and he squeezed her hand, realising she had been worried about Alfie finding her. "Why are this lot here anyways?" Liam asked her, frowning at the group. Tracy sighed and ushered the Elm Tree kids into the kitchen, promising them an explanation.

"Well I saw Tyler," Leanna began. Tee had asked Leanna if she recognised any of the Burnywood kids from her stay, and she was listing them all as they ate breakfast.

"Ugh." Carmen grumbled, still sour about seeing him again.

"Right.. anyway, there was Lizanne, Rick, Kitty and Michelle I think... she's got two sisters." Leanna listed, watching as Gus made notes.

"But why don't you know how long they'll stay for?" Gus whined at Mike, obviously upset at the massive change. Nobody was happy about it, but Gus seemed to be affected the most with all the uncertainty. You could almost see the cogs turning in his head as he worked out when he was going to fit in individual tours.

"Because we don't know how bad the fire damage is yet." Mike explained, and the kids looked disappointed at this answer.

"I hope Burnywood was burnt to bits." Liam added.

"I wish Tyler had gone up in flames too." Carmen grumbled again, earning a surprised look from the others. "Wait until he nicks your stuff and then tell me about it." She justified, but they didn't look convinced. "What?! I'm telling you, if it isn't glued down, he _will_ have it." There was silence as everyone thought for a moment. Leanna considered her argument, thinking of the few precious things she had. Then in the next second everyone had ditched their breakfast and was piling out of the kitchen door.

* * *

><p>"Alright Leanna?" Mike entered her room after knocking, Dennis and Michelle following. "We're short of space so Michelle's going to have to stay with you, is that okay?" He asked, but really Leanna had no choice in this arrangement. Nodding she stood up and helped Dennis push her bed against the wall to make room for another.<p>

"Ah, Leannabeth. I remember you." Dennis greeted her sourly, glancing at her faded scar with a look of distaste. Leanna held her tongue and helped the careworkers bring Michelle's three bin bags in, whilst the oldest of the triplets sat on the new bed, looking depressed.

"Here, you can have half the closet." Leanna sighed once the careworkers had left, opening the closet door and pushing her clothes over to one side, leaving the other half for Michelle, who was standing with a pile of clothes in her hands. "How'd you manage to save so much?" Leanna gasped, eyeing the rather large bin bag which seemed to be full of clothes.

Michelle rolled her eyes. "I had time." She snapped, stalking over and laying her clothes out. "I'm gonna need more space. C'mon, move over!"

* * *

><p>"She's a nightmare." Leanna complained, storming into the living room.<p>

"I've had to live with her for the past year and a half." Lizanne sighed as she sat down, and smiled sympathetically. "I was just having a nap when I got woken up by bloody fireworks!" She complained, yawning and combing her fingers through her hair. Lizanne was gorgeous and had long blonde hair and girly clothes, but she was sneaky, which most of the Burnywood kids already knew.

"It's Carmen and Elektra who are the nightmares 'ere." Liam grumbled, shifting onto the pool table. "What kind of person sets fire to a kids stuff?"

"How long do you think they'll stay?" Leanna quietly asked Liam, who shrugged.

"I don't mind really... must be proper nice for them to be here instead of that shit hole." He muttered, earning a laugh from Leanna.

They all sat in silence for a while, watching the TV screen light up with the face of another missing person whilst the news reporter spoke in an emotionless tone. Mike walked into the room and an air of annoyance followed him as he stopped at the table, paused and then switched the TV off. As the three teenagers looked up at him he opened his mouth and yet out a Gina-like yell: "HOUSE MEETING NOW!" There was a scramble of feet and within a minute every child was squashed onto the sofas, frustration clouding their faces at the thought of yet another event interrupting their day. "Johnny has just informed me that his savings have gone missing."

There was silence, as everyone looked at Johnny, who stood by the care workers looking betrayed. Dennis had his hands on his hips, his cold eyes searching each care kid, accusing them all.

"Well? You all know we don't tolerate theft here... nobody has anything to say?" Mike continued. Leanna glanced at the kids, weighing out the chances that they stole the money. She had been with Liam the whole day, so it definitely wasn't either of them. "Fine, you don't want to own up in public. You know what, I get that. But... one of you_ has_ Johnny's money. And if it's not on my desk in the next ten-" Mike was interrupted by Dennis who rudely pushed in front, dragging Mike behind him.

"No. You don't give them ten minutes to hide it somewhere else." He said with arrogance lacing his words. Mike sighed loudly and looked away. "We're searching your rooms. NOW." Dennis announced, and stormed upstairs.

Cursing everyone in the room under her breath, Leanna stood up and headed to her room- her and Michelle's room now. Could it have been Michelle? She was quite mean but she didn't seem like the sort of person to steal. Neither did Rick, but unfortunately she couldn't say the same for Tyler or Lizanne. It had to be one of the Burnywood lot anyways, Leanna thought. The Dumping Ground kids all knew Johnny kept his savings behind his fireplace, even Elektra! So why would they steal it now? Other than it being the perfect cover up with the new kids, she saw no reason.

"You won't find anything in here." Leanna stated, watching as Dennis rummaged through the wardrobe, messing up Michelle's neat piles that were once colour coordinated but now lay in a heap. "I've been with Liam in the lounge... ain't seen her for a while though." Leanna spat, glaring over at Michelle who was seated on her bed, her eyes glowing with fury as she watched Dennis mess up her clothes.

"You trying to say I stole it?! I bet it was you, you look like the type of person! " Michelle hissed, adverting her angry stare to Leanna now.

"Girls!" Dennis yelled, but before he could continue, Carmen's shrieks echoed throughout the house. Dropping their stuff, the three ran from the room towards the landing, to find Carmen standing in the middle of the growing crowd, with what looked like a birds nest on her head.

"Who put glue in my shampoo?!" She screeched, earning laughter from everyone. She clearly didn't find it funny as she yelled. "Come on then, own up! Shut up! It's not funny!" Right on cue, Gus emerged from the bathroom, submerged in foam. This just made everyone laugh even harder, with the exception of Gina who hurried to comfort him.

He was clearly distressed, but everyone was too excited by the hilarity of the events to really notice, until there was a loud crash, a scream, and everyone fell silent.

* * *

><p>Later on when Tracy returned, the whole house had been locked up by Dennis. No mobiles, photos or posters were allowed, no lounge before five pm, the cupboards and fridge were all locked up. For Leanna and Liam this was all too familiar, and the freedom the Burnywood kids had found was gone in a flash.<p>

Everyone was in a bad mood, but Liam tried to stay light hearted, making jokes with Tracy about their matching slings. But nobody could get rid of the depressed atmosphere that loomed in the house.

"Leanna!" Liam hissed, grabbing her arm with his free hand as she rounded the corner to the stairs. Realising he had startled her he grinned, but cut to the chase straight away. "There's a party, tomorrow night. Do you want to go?" he asked, his eyes flicking to the closed door of the office.

Leanna considered this, the pros and cons running through her head. What if they were caught? Dennis could split them up. But what if it was a really good party and they'd regret it if they didn't go? What if Liam went without her and... the endless possibilities kept popping up. "Who's house?" She asked quietly.

"Bethany." Liam said, earning a grimace from Leanna as she remembered Liam's ex girlfriend. "C'mon _Leannabeth_, it's going to be well good. Her house is massive! We can sneak out and be back without them even realising." Liam whispered.

"Who's gonna go? How are we meant to escape this place?" Leanna questioned, she was pretty sure that everything would be locked up by the evening.

Liam smiled knowingly. "I'll come up with something, y'know me. Plus, Frank's agreed and he's bringing Lizanne. You usually wouldn't miss something like this..." He said, changing his argument when he saw her frown. "It will be fun, I promise! Just this once?" Even though his argument wasn't great for Liam standards, Leanna nodded. Smiling widely, Liam kissed her quickly. "The lounge should be open now, let's go." He said.

As she followed him, Leanna noticed how much she had changed. Before she had been so eager to break the rules but living in Elm Tree had made her more cautious, more aware of the consequences. But was her reluctance to do things all that good though?

**A/N: Wow I haven't updated this story in ages :S I've kind of come to a dead end, but I will try to finish it because I don't want to leave any stories unfinished. Thanks for reviewing and favouriting, makes my day :D**


	35. Sneaking Out

~Chapter 35 - Sneaking Out~

Leanna and Frank sat against the wall, Frank trying to spin a football on his finger. They were in Franks room, the dim light making the red walls glow. "Do you really think this will work?" Leanna asked, glancing over at him.

Frank dropped the ball, and watched it roll away, frowning. "Liam's plans usually do work. Except for Liamade... that never works." He told her, shifting to get the ball again. Leanna giggled, instantly reminded of the day she met Liam and Frank, back in the town center's market.

"Yeah I've seen proof of that. You guys ruined my stall!"

Frank chuckled at that and pushed her lightly. "That was the best day of your life, you met us!" He joked, and to his surprise Leanna nodded.

"You guys changed my life." She sighed happily, capturing Frank in a one armed hug. He smiled and returned it.

"All thanks to that Liamade, eh!" Frank added. "I can't imagine not meeting you now. Things would be so different... you're like my little elf."

"I'm not an elf!" Leanna laughed. "Thanks for looking out for me though. I appreciate it Frank."

"I look out for both of yous, if I didn't, where would we be?" Frank replied, and at that moment Lizanne burst into the room. Her blonde hair had been carefully straightened and she had braided her fringe. She was wearing pink jeans and a cream jumper, and in her hands was a cluster of makeup. Frank's mouth dropped open and she blushed, but she came and sat down next to Leanna.

"You shouldn't be here! What if someone saw you?" Leanna said.

Lizanne sighed. "I'm sorry okay? No one saw me. Babe can you do my mascara? I'm nervous as." She gulped, flustered. Since the Burnywood kids had moved to Elm Tree, they had to move to Mountview Secondary. Leanna remembered the nerve-wrecking day when she had started the school and felt a wave of sympathy to the pretty girl. It was only a party but no one would know her. Frank watched, perplexed as Leanna brushed the mascara wand through Lizanne's eyelashes. "Never seen a girl put make up on, eh Frank?" Lizanne joked, and Frank shook his head, woken from his trance-like state.

"You've got it bad mate." Leanna commented, winking at Frank, who looked sheepish. The three sat against Frank's wall in silence for a while, noticing how quiet the whole house is. "Dennis has really ruined things here..." Leanna sighed, getting sad nods in response.

"Aight, guys?" Liam asked, sauntering into the room with Elektra and Rick following. The two had also decided to come along, as Elektra didn't usually miss a party and Rick felt that like Lizanne, he should probably make some friends quickly. "Me and Frank have to leave now. We've got the all clear." He grinned, and Frank jumped up. "Remember to follow the plan, okay? If one thing goes wrong we're all toast like Burnywood!"

Half an hour later, the group were all walking through the town towards Bethany's house. "How on earth did you make this work?" Lizanne asked Liam admiringly, and he laughed proudly. "C'mon, it's me and Frank! We are experts..."

"Oi, I came up with half of it." Elektra snapped, but she was smiling.

* * *

><p>Frank, Liam and Elektra stood outside the office, holding their phones. "Here's my number. Don't call until I'm right at the back of the garden okay?" Elektra commanded, typing her number into Liam's phone and saving it under the name 'Tom'. Liam and Frank both nodded, and watched as Elektra ran down the hallway to the backdoor, before knocking on the office door.<p>

"Hello Liam, Frank, what can we do for you?" Mike greeted the boys cheerfully, ushering them into the office.

"Well if it isn't the trouble makers." Dennis grumbled, his feet up on the desk and a pile of papers in his lap. "What do you want?"

"Good to see you too Dennis!" Liam sneered, and turned to Mike and Gina. "I'm proper sorry for not telling you before, but me and Frank have to go out tonight." Liam began.

Before any of the care workers could say anything, Frank started talking. "We have this project for English, it's Shakespeare stuff and we have to go and see a play at the theater. It starts at eight and finishes at ten." He told them, watching nervously as Gina and Mike exchanged uncertain glances.

"Don't you listen to the rules? Your curfew is nine. You can't go." Dennis said sternly, earning glares from Mike for making the decision for him.

"It is a little late, but it's for school as you say, yes?" Gina added.

"Yeah, English. You see, the thing is, we've already paid for the tickets." Liam said slyly, trying to hide his grin.

"Oh for goodness sake boys! Couldn't you have asked me about this earlier? How will you get home?" Mike sighed, ignoring Dennis who tried to interrupt.

"Well we're going with Tom, you know Tom Bailey? We could just stay over his house. I can call him to check if you want?" Liam suggested, leaning against the desk.

Sighing, Dennis swung his feet to the floor. "I want to speak to his parents. This is a one time thing, alright?!" Dennis ordered. Liam smiled, everything was going to plan.

He held the phone to his ear, waiting for Elektra who was at the bottom of the garden, to pick up. "Aight there Tom? Look my care worker wants to speak to your mum about staying at yours tonight. yeah they've got to make sure your family ain't drug dealers or somethin'. Okay, cheers." he paused for a moment and then handed his mobile to Dennis, who rolled his eyes.

"Hello, Mrs Bailey is it? Hi, I'm Dennis,_ Head_ care worker at Elm Tree House." He said.

At the bottom of the garden, Elektra sat on the sofa holding back a laugh. Putting on her best posh accent (which she was good at, considering her family) she began to speak.

"Head? I thought that was Mike Millegan!"

Dennis frowned, but kept his temper. "Not now he isn't. Anyway, Liam and Frank have said they are staying over at your house tonight. Is that okay?"

"Oh yes, after the play. I'll be picking them up from the theater. It's so lovely that you let your children enjoy such wonderful cultural events. I think it's a wonderful thing."

"Yes, Shakespeare is very good. I'm going to need your address though, safety procedures you see."

"39 Rosemary Lane. Now if you may I'm a very busy woman and I need to get back to work. Goodbye!" Elektra hung up and burst into peals of laughter, leaving a bewildered Dennis, who got over his surprise and shoved the phone back into Liam's hand.

"Very well then. Out of here, now." He demanded, and Liam and Frank almost skipped out of the office.

* * *

><p>"It's Gina who's doing the night shift." Leanna whispered to Lizanne as they trudged towards the kitchen for dinner. She passed the message on to Rick, who grinned.<p>

"Good. If it was Dennis we'd never get away with this." He whispered back, and seeing one of the care workers he broke into a coughing fit as they sat down at the table. Carmen, who was sat next to him shuffled away slightly. They were having a tuna casserole that night, and Mike noticed as both Rick and Lizzane took a smaller portion of food than everyone else.

"We had dinner five minutes later than usual today, Gina. Why?" Gus inquired, frowning up at the colourfully dressed woman. She shook her head and smiled at the young boy.

"Because I have to cook for more people, yeah? Lizanne, why aren't you eating babe?" Gina said, and all eyes turned to Lizanne. She smiled weakly and coughed, holding her stomach.

"I'm not feeling to well, Gina. I'm really sorry, I'm sure the food's great." She mumbled.

"Me too, I actually feel kind of sick." Rick gulped, pushing his plate away. Carmen was almost sitting on Tee's chair now, having shuffled away so much.

Elektra looked at them both, a disgusted look on her face. "Gross, you haven't brought some disease from Burnywood have you? Mike this must be against my human rights, send them back to where they came from!" She spat, ignoring the usual cries of 'Elektra!' and 'that was so mean!'

"Enough, Elektra." Mike ordered. "You two better get an early night. Let Gina know if you need anything, okay?" He said kindly. Leanna hid a smile, seeing how it was all going well. Although she felt bad for going behind Mike and Gina's backs, she secretly liked rebelling against Dennis, even if he didn't know. Now her only problem was sneaking out of her room.

"Hiya, Michelle." Leanna greeted the triplet, who was sitting on the bed listening to music. Michelle looked up and grimaced, leaving her earphones in. Leanna jumped onto her own bed and settled herself against the headboard, and picked up a book. "Can you do me a favour?" She asked, leafing through the pages of 'Who Cares, I'm Tracy Beaker!'.

Michelle looked at her suspiciously. "What do you want me to do? I better be getting something for it." She demanded, giving Leanna her full attention.

"Really? Oh, okay. Well I've got to go out tonight and I need you to cover for me and not snitch..." Leanna said cautiously.

Michelle wrinkled her nose. "What do you think I am, a grass? I won't snitch. What do I get though?"

"Next weeks phone credit."

"And more of the wardrobe." Michelle bargained, and reluctantly Leanna agreed. It better be an amazing party, she thought to herself bitterly as she watched Michelle hop up and squash all her clothes into the corner to make more room. Deciding she couldn't bare to watch, she left to go to Frank's room.

* * *

><p>It was seven thirty, and everyone had to be in their rooms by eight. With Frank and Liam gone, the others had to escape quickly. Mike had left already and Dennis wouldn't leave until eight even though it was still winter and it would get dark quickly. Rick was making his way out through the boys toilets, after making a deal with Tyler who would help him defy Dennis any day.<p>

Elektra had made sure she had walked past Gina and Dennis enough times grumbling about sharing with a sick person. She walked past the office one last time and made sure to loudly say "If Lizanne's coughing interrupts my coursework I am switching rooms!" only to be answered with a 'SHUT UP' from Dennis.

Once Elektra had left Leanna made her way to the spare bedroom that the care workers slept in. Gina was sat on the bed arranging her clothes, and smiled warmly at Leanna as she walked in. "Alright babe?" She asked.

"Hey Gina. I was wondering if you could sew up this tear? I need this shirt for dance on Monday. Can you put it in the wash after?" Leanna asked, handing Gina an old shirt.

"Sure babe, I'll do it tonight, yeah?" Gina offered. "Just let me find the sewing kit. I'm sure it's around here somewhere..." Thanking the care worker, Leanna made sure to add that she was getting an early night because she didn't feel to well. Then she backed out of the room and headed to the toilets, where she found Gus in the midst of a conversation with Lizanne.

"But I need to know why you're in care!" He demanded, his note book and pen poised. Lizanne sighed and rolled her eyes, refusing to tell him. Leanna inwardly groaned and stormed towards the two.

"Look Gus, you can write that down tomorrow because Lizanne is too sick to give you her life story." She said impatiently.

Gus frowned, confused. "But I don't want her life story, I just want to know why she's in care!" He protested.

"She's sick Gus, you don't want to catch anything from her because it will mess up your schedule! Ask her tomorrow when she's feeling better, alright?" Leanna snapped. She hated to be harsh with Gus because of his Asperger's Syndrome, but she knew he wouldn't understand the impatient undertone in her voice. He seemed to realise that if he did get sick his routine would be different, and left abruptly. "Right, lets go!" Leanna smiled, and braced herself for entering the boys toilets.

* * *

><p>As the group got closer to Bethany's road, Lizanne's nerves seemed to pass onto Rick, who was fidgeting as they walked. Liam was full of energy and was trying to pump them up for the party, but it wasn't working. Frank seemed to realise that the best thing to do would be to comfort Lizanne, and he put an arm round her shoulder and reassured her that everyone would be friendly. "We're going to get caught." Rick sighed, suddenly deciding this was a bad idea.<p>

Liam turned around, and nudged Rick with his arm that was in a sling. "Oi don't be a downer! We won't get caught. They never come in our rooms at night." Liam said quickly, and he was right. However just in case they had all stuffed clothes under their duvets, but Gina understood that the teenagers needed their own space. It was Dennis they had to worry about. "Just have fun, alright? Look, we're here. Beth's house is amazing!"

Liam was definitely right. The lawn was freshly cut and had bushes growing in shapes dotted around. A few people stood in clusters talking over the music that was playing from indoors. Liam led them in confidently, nodding at a few people. The living room was an open space with cream sofas and a wide screen TV, and to Frank's joy, a pool table at the back. Turning around Leanna noticed how Rick's eyes widened in surprise, and Lizanne realised her mouth was hanging open and shut it quickly.

"Liam! Leanna! Elektra!" Bethany called, pushing past groups of people to reach the care kids. "Nice to see you!" She hugged them both tightly, all signs of bitterness from the past seemingly gone. Leanna hugged her back, unsure of how to feel. "Freddie! How are you?" She gushed, moving onto Frank who folded his arms and sighed, deciding not to correct her. She moved on quickly, noticing Lizanne and Rick. "Who are you guys?" She seemed to be asking nicely, and hugged them both too.

"Hope you don't mind Beth, I brought them along. They're new here." Liam explained.

Bethany smiled, flicking her blonde hair over her shoulder. "No, no problem at all. I'm Bethany guys. D'you want a drink Rick?"

Rick however did not seem to notice Bethany's obvious interest in him and had spotted someone he recognised. He briefly smiled at the group and left to pursue the person. Bethany didn't look fazed though, possibly to do with the fact that she seemed already tipsy. Liam grabbed Leanna's hand and led her to the kitchen, only letting go to grab a drink. He adjusted the sling strap over his polo shirt and grinned widely. "Want one?" In his hand he held two cans of beer, which Leanna eyed for a moment. It was her dad's favourite.

"Sure." She said eventually, taking it from him and popping it open. Liam took a large swig in front of her and then beckoned for her to join a group of year tens that were sitting on the sofas. Leanna vaguely recognised them, a few people were in some of her classes. They were all nice enough (apart from the occasional glances at her scar) but they were Liam's friends, and although he had an arm around her waist and kept giving her a chance to join the conversation, Leanna felt an odd niggling feeling in her stomach. something wasn't going to go right.

** A/N: Hi guys :) Are you excited for the new series of the Dumping Ground? I heard Elektra isn't in it! :S Please leave a review, thank you for reading :)**


	36. Tipsy

Tipsy

It was about half eleven when Leanna next checked her phone, but she couldn't be sure. Things seemed to slip her mind the moment she thought of them, but taking a glance at Lizanne who was practically hanging off of Frank's arm, she knew she wasn't that bad. Liam was stood next to her, attempting to balance empty beer cans on his arm that was crossed over his chest by the sling. Both Rick and Elektra had disappeared and through the fuzzy thoughts wavered one, that they would have to leave at some point to avoid getting caught. The realisation that she should probably look for them dawned, though she was quite comfy in Liam's arms and an hour or two more wouldn't hurt, would it?

It didn't seem that way at first, most of the group in the living room seemed to handle drinking somewhat responsibly, and unlike when she was around her dad she didn't feel nervous. Quickly she shut him out of her mind, feeling a shudder run through her as brief flashbacks of his drunk moments flashed in front of her eyes. _He's gone, he's not coming back.._ Leanna told herself, but to be frank it wasn't working. He wasn't gone. He was just locked up, but how long would that last? She was safe though, Mike and Liam would protect her. Not like he'd come back for her anyways.

Shifting herself in Liam's arms, Leanna looked up at him. He was laughing with one of his friends, his glazed eyes lighting up and his smile brightening the room. He really was special, even though he didn't realise it. He had come back for her and taken her to the Dumping Ground despite what happened with stealing Frank's possessions. He hadn't noticed that she was uncomfortable and just let her move when she left his embrace. She wanted to get another drink, to change the thoughts that were buzzing around in her head.

Upon entering the kitchen Leanna found Rick helping a girl with dark hair drink some water. Leanna felt like she vaguely recognised her, but turned her attention to Rick who looked frustrated. He glanced at her and gave a half hearted smile, his arm firmly wrapped around the girl to keep her up. Smiling back, Leanna was about to take a cup of Vodka when she was reminded of the girl Rick was looking after. _Something not too strong_, she thought and picked up a breezer. Passing out was not her idea of fun. To be honest, she didn't even know why she agreed to come. Maybe it was the strong urge to please Liam or the attraction of a party, Leanna was now realising that it really wasn't worth it. She would have been better off with a more space in the wardrobe than she now had, and a good nights sleep.

She could always gather Liam and Frank and leave, she thought as she tossed the fruity drink back into her mouth. The fizz made her tongue tingle and she squeezed her eyes shut for a moment, remembering that she did not like fizzy drinks at all.

Another lot of people had joined the group in the living room, and Leanna made her way over to Liam, Frank and Lizanne. She had only been gone five minutes and Liam seemed even more loud and boisterous, and he spun her around, pulled her onto his lap and kissed her on the cheek as she reached him. "Dunno if I said today, but you look be-au-ti-ful." He emphasised, earning a blush from Leanna. Why was he so unbelievably cute? She sighed internally.

"Is that the Liam kid?" A voice stood out among the others, one that Leanna didn't recognise at all. It seemed that Liam's over the top gestures had caught the attention of not only Leanna. A stout looking boy pushed through to the sofas, a grimace spread across his face. "Oh, it is!" He laughed, stepping forwards.

"Yep, 'at's me!" Liam chuckled, though he stopped when he looked up and saw the boy who stood before him. "Oh."

"Bet you thought you'd never see me, eh!" The boy growled, his frown deepening.

Liam shrugged, seemingly loosing the care he had only moments ago. "Look James, it was a joke, 'aight?" He reasoned, glancing around when he noticed that the group had stopped talking and were now watching the two. Leanna grabbed his hand, feeling butterfly's emerge in her stomach. The bad feeling that she had felt when they arrived was back, and Leanna had a feeling that it wasn't just Tracy's pasta they had for dinner.

"You pissed me off, O'Donovan. Fuck off right now yeah? Nobody wants you here," James threatened, stepping closer. He wasn't taller than Liam, but he sure was bigger. Liam opened his mouth to reply, but closed it again. "Actually, nobody has ever wanted you, isn't that right?" He sniggered, taking the chance to hit home.

Liam stood up at this, his playful attitude gone. "'scuse me?" He said quietly. "You don't know nothing about me." His words were slurred but the impact of what James had said seemed to have a slightly sobering affect, and he didn't sway.

"I think I do. You're a little care kid, ain't you!" James laughed, and there was silence around them. Did no one know? Leanna thought. Had no one ever questioned where Liam lived, or what his parents were like, or why he never invited people from school over? It seemed like they hadn't as James' revelation caused hushed whispers and stares. A muscle in Liam's jaw twitched, and he let go of Leanna's hand.

"Ain't nothing wrong with being a care kid."

James considered this for a moment. "What, the rest of you lot not messed up as you are? You're all nothing." He sneered.

It was a moment before Liam leapt forwards, pushing James backwards. "Don't you say anything about them, or me. Fuck off." He shouted, and immediately Leanna and Frank grabbed him by the arms and pulled him away.

"Leave it, Liam." Frank said in hushed tones, and leaving a laughing James, they lead a stumbling Liam outside into the garden. He was evidently still fuming as he muttered angrily to himself, cursing James under his breath. "I think we should go home." Frank sighed, and Leanna nodded.

"Look, you go and get Lizanne and the others and I'll take Liam back. Catch up, alright? Call me if you need, okay?" Leanna offered, taking Liam's arm. Frank nodded and headed back into the party whilst Leanna started down the road with Liam following, his balance slightly off. They were silent for the whole journey, until Liam moaned quietly behind her.

"I feel sick." He groaned, stopping by a wall and leaning against it.

Leanna grimaced to herself and stopped. Her eye caught sight of the corner shop and she told him to wait whilst she bought some water. When she returned he was sitting against the wall, his eyes closed and his arm cradling the other. "Does it hurt?" Leanna asked gently, unscrewing the bottle and passing it to him. He nodded slightly, chugging back the water gratefully. Leanna watched him, wondering what he was thinking at that moment. He always seemed so on edge recently, as if he was just about to snap. She supposed he did with James. He cared so much for all the care kids, but she really was surprised he hadn't told anyone. Was he ashamed? He had never mentioned it before.

When he had finished the bottle he stood up and winced, but ignored it. Taking Leanna's hand he started walking again, staying silent once again. Leanna figured the others could get home themselves, they had Frank. She did feel quite bad for leaving him, but they had to get Liam out of there. He seemed to be calming down, and sped up a little as the house came into view. They tiptoed through the front garden to the brick wall, where Liam stood and squinted up at it. "Hmm, didn't think of this when we left." He sighed, and Leanna laughed quietly. That was more like Liam. She placed her foot on a low branch of the oak tree and hoisted herself up onto the wall, struggling a little. Liam bit his tongue from making any jokey remarks and held out a hand for her to pull up.

"How can you be so skinny and yet so heavy!" Leanna gasped as swung his legs round to the other side of the wall.

He smirked, flexing an arm. "It's all here, babe." He slurred, and then dropped to the other side. Leanna had to clamp a hand over her mouth to avoid shrieking as he fell, and she felt her heart hammer in her chest as he landed safely on the ground and rolled over, laughing. "Hey, why are you so scared?" He called up to her as she slowly lowered herself down. Leanna swallowed hard, turning to face him.

"You didn't see yourself fall that day, Liam." She said quietly, and the jokey look fell from his face.

"I'm sorry." He whispered, kissing her forehead. "Just gonna say though, you didn't see your dad hurt you either." Automatically Leanna's face crumpled, the memories from earlier that night reappearing in her head. "You get hurt to often." He sighed, his hand reaching up to trace the faint scar that ran from her temple to her cheekbone.

"And you are wanted." Leanna replied, gazing at him. At that moment, all she wanted to do was sleep and when she woke up, she wanted Dennis to be gone and everything to be back to normal. He didn't smile though, and suddenly he was kissing her with more feeling than he ever had.

And all too soon he had pulled away and was cradling his arm, his eyes avoiding hers. She opened her mouth to say something, but closed it when she saw there were tears in his eyes. Did he really think he was nothing? "Liam.." She began.

"Stay here with me." He said, sitting down on the grass.

Leanna raised an eyebrow, surprised by the sudden idea. "What, here?" She gestured to the garden, and he nodded. He was still drunk she noticed. Her bed was waiting for her upstairs, she thought. What if Mike or Dennis came in through the garden in the morning? Doubts clouded her mind, but deciding to make a tipsy decision, why not? It was a pleasant night and in all honesty, Liam needed someone. Plus, they'd be in more trouble if she stayed in his room. Shrugging she told him that she'd be back, and entered the house through the bathroom window to get a spare duvet from the cupboard upstairs. When she returned Liam was already half asleep, his eyes opening and shutting slowly as he shifted over to her under the tree.

"Ain't this a cliche thing to do, eh." He muttered sleepily. "Seems kinda fairy-tale like don't it. I'm too average for that shit though." His words were mumbled and his eyes didn't open again as he settled into a gentle sleep.

Laughing at his sleepy rambles Leanna curled up next to him, ignoring the odd feeling of the grass under them. She'd ask him about James another time. "You're far from average." She said, though she wasn't sure he heard her.

**A/N: slightly shorter chapter this time. Thank you for reviewing! I've just caught up with the new series and I'm loving it so far, I like how there is a tad more seriousness. Anyone else looking forward to Liam? I am hehe**


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